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THE    CENTENNIAL: 

r) 

BATTLE 

OF 

1    BUNKER    HILL. 


A  VIEW  OF  CHAIiLESTOWN  IN  1775,  PAGE'S  PLAN  OF  THE 

ACTION,   r.OMANE'S  EXACT  VIEW  OF  THE  BATTLE, 

AND   OTHER  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


BY 

V  RICHARD   FROTHINGHAM. 


BOSTON: 
LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND    COMPANY. 

1875. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1875,  by 

LITTLE,    BROWN,    AND    COMPANY, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


Cambridge : 
Press  of  John  Wilson  ^  Son. 


THE    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


The  "Exact  View  of  the  Battle"  is  reproduced 
from  an  American  engraving  of  1775.  It  appeared  in 
a  reduced  form  in  the  "  Pennsylvania  Magazine "  of 
that  year. 

Page's  "Plan  of  the  Action"  was  engraved  for 
the  "  History  of  the  Siege  of  Boston."  It  is  the  only 
accurate  plan  of  Charlestown  of  that  date.  The  Hills 
are  wrongly  named.  "  Bunker  Hill "  should  be  Breed's 
Hill. 

The  "View  of  Charlestown"  is  from  a  MS.,  and 
was  engraved  for  the  "  History  of  the  Siege  of  Boston." 

These  illustrations  are  fac-similes  of  the  originals. 


O 


051211 


CONTENTS. 


CBA  ITER  PAGE 

I.   CoNTINE\TAL  CoXGRESS.  —  NeW  ExGLAND. — 

BuxKER  Hill 1 

n.  Breed's  Hill  Fortified.  —  Cannonade  of 
THE  British.  • —  The  Landing  at  Charles- 
town    10 

HI.  The  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  —  The  Burn- 
ing OF  Charlestown.  —  The   Retreat   of 

the  Americans 33 

IV.  Character  of  the  Battle.  —  The  Question 
OF    Command.  —  Prescott.  —  Putnam.  — 

Warren.  —  Pomerov 6G 

V,  Services  of  the  Regiments.  —  Notices  of 
the  Officers.  —  Numbers  Engaged.  — 
British  Criticism.  —  Destruction  of 
Charlestoavn        79 

Appendix 135 


BATTLE    OF    BUNKER    HILL. 


I. 


Continental  Congress.     New  England. 
Bunker  Hill. 

'T^HE  events  of  the  great  day  of  Lexington  and 
-*•  Concord  battle  changed  the  American  cause 
from  commercial  war  to  armed  resistance.  The 
colonies  were  then  in  the  relation  of  Union,  with  a 
basis  of  brotherhood,  common  peril,  and  a  common 
object.  Its  embodiment  was  the  government  of 
congresses  and  committees  inaugurated  by  the 
Continental  Congress.  "  The  country,"  wrote  Sam- 
uel Gray,  July  12,  1775,  "  have  the  greatest  confi- 
dence in  its  wisdom  and  integrity.  No  laws  were 
ever  more  binding  upon  all  ranks  of  peojjle  than 
their  orders."  This  government  continued  until 
the  ratification  of  the  Articles  of  Confederation. 
Under  its  authority  the  colonies  enrolled  the 
militia  for  the  common  defence. 

In  Massachusetts,  the  Provincial  Congress  ap- 
pointed a  Committee  of  Safety,  and  gave  it  au- 
thority to  summon  the  militia  when  it  should  be 

1 


2  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER   BILL. 

required  ;  and  chose  as  its  generals  Artemas  Ward, 
Setli  Pomeroy,  John  Thomas,  and  William  Heath. 
Thus  an  army,  in  fact,  was  in  existence,  ready,  at 
a  moment's  call,  for  defensive  purposes,  to  wheel 
its  isolated  platoons  into  solid  phalanxes ;  while  it 
presented  to  an  enemy  only  the  opportunity  of  an 
inglorious  foray  upon  its  stores. 

The  military  force  which,  on  the  Lexington  and 
Concord  alarm,  repaired  to  the  towns  around  Bos- 
ton and  held  the  British  army  in  a  state  of  siege, 
was  composed  of  citizen  soldiers  set  apart  for  this 
purpose.    They  had  the  moral  power  of  the  Union. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  Congress  had  adopted 
this  force.  Washington  had  accepted  the  post  of 
commander-in-chief:  but  only  the  :four  New  Eng- 
land colonies  had  their  militia  in  the  field  before 
Boston. 

The  Massachusetts  Provincial  Congress  (Sun- 
day, April  30)  resolved  that  an  army  of  thirty 
thousand  was  necessary  for  the  defence  of  the 
country ;  and  to  raise,  as  the  proportion  of  this 
colony,  thirteen  thousand  six  hundred  troops. 
Fifty-nine  men  were  to  form  a  company,  and  ten 
companies  a  regiment ;  and  those  who  raised  com- 
panies or  regiments  were  promised  commissions  to 
command  them.  Artemas  Ward  was  appointed 
commander-in-chief ;  John  Thomas,  lieutenant-gen- 
eral ;  and  Richard  Gridlcy,  the  chief  engineer. 
Measures  were  taken  to  raise  a  train  of  artillery ; 


NEW  ENGLAND.  3 

but  it  was  not  fully  organized  when  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill  took  place.  So  slowly  did  the  work 
of  organization  go  on,  that  General  Ward,  in  a 
letter,  May  19,  stated,  that,  to  save  the  country, 
"it  was  absolutely  necessary  that  the  regiments  be 
immediately  settled,  the  officers  commissioned,  and 
the  soldiers  mustered."  His  own  commission  had 
not  been  issued.  On  this  day  Congress  adopted 
the  form  of  one  for  the  commander,  and  passed 
orders  relative  to  the  ranks  of  the  regiments  and 
the  officers.  The  settlement  of  the  ranks  of  the 
officers,  however,  was  referred  to  a  future  time. 

Connecticut  voted  to  raise  six  thousand  men, 
and  organized  them  into  six  regiments,  of  ten  com- 
panies each,  —  one  hundred  men  constituting  a 
company.  Joseph  Spencer,  with  the  rank  of 
brigadier-general,  was  the  senior  officer  in  com- 
mand, who  arrived  with  one  regiment  early  in 
May,  and  took  post  at  Roxbury.  Captain  John 
Chester's  fine  company  formed  part-of  it.  Another 
regiment,  commanded  by  Israel  Putnam,  with  the 
rank  of  brigadier-general,  was  stationed  at  Cam- 
bridsre.  The  6th  Regiment  was  under  Colonel 
Samuel  Holden  Parsons  ;  two  companies  of  which 
—  his  own  and  Chapman's  —  were  ordered,  June  7, 
to  the  camp,  and  subsequently  one  other,  Captain 
Coit's ;  the  remainder  of  it  being  stationed,  until 
after  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  at  New  London. 
The  disposition  of  these  troops  was  directed  by  a 


4  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER   BILL. 

"committee  of  war,"  which  supplied  them  with 
ammunition  and  provisions. 

The  Rhode  Island  Assembly  voted  to  raise  fif- 
teen hundred  men,  to  constitute  "  an  army  of 
observation,"  and  ordered  it  to  "join  and  co-oper- 
ate with  the  forces  of  the  neighboring  colonies." 
Tliis  force  was  organized  into  three  regiments,  of 
eight  companies  each,  under  Colonels  Varnum, 
Hitchcock,  and  Church,  and  placed  under  the  com- 
mand of  Nathaniel  Greene,  with  the  rank  of 
brigadier-general.  One  of  the  companies  was  a 
train  of  artillery,  and  had  the  colony's  field-pieces. 
General  Greene,  on  arriving  at  the  camp,  Jamaica 
Plains,  found  his  command  in  great  disorder  ;  and  it 
was  only  by  his  judicious  labors,  and  great  personal 
influence,  that  it  was  kept  together.  In  the  rules 
and  regulations  for  the  government  of  this  force,  it 
is  ealled  "The  Rhode  Island  Army."  They  pro- 
vide that  "all  public  stores,  taken  in  the  ene- 
my's camp  or  magazines,"  should  be  "  secured  for 
the  use  of  the  colony  of  Rhode  Island."  It  was 
not  until  June  28  that  this  colony  passed  an  act 
putting  its  troops  under  the  orders  of  the  general 
of  the  combined  army. 

The  New  Hampshire  troops  assembled  at  Med- 
ford,  where  the  field-officers,  April  26,  held  a  meet- 
ing, and  advised  the  men  to  enlist  temporarily  in 
the  service  of  the  Massachusetts  colony.  They 
also  recommended  Colonel  John  Stark  to  take  tlio 


NEW  ENGLAND.  6 

charge  of  them.  This  was  done.  The  New  Hamp- 
shire Congress,  May  20,  voted  to  raise  two  thou- 
sand men,  adopted  those  that  had  already  enlisted, 
and  voted  that  "  the  establishment  of  officers  and 
soldiers  should  be  the  same  as  in  the  Massachusetts 
Bay."  They  were  organized  into  three  regiments, 
and  placed  (jNIay  23)  under  the  command  of 
Nathaniel  Folsom,  with  the  rank  of  brigadier-gen- 
eral. Two  regiments  were  organized  under  Colo- 
nels John  Stark  and  James  Reed.  On  the  2d  of 
June,  General  Folsom  ordered  Colonel  Reed  to 
collect  his  companies,  —  part  of  which  were  at 
Medford,  under  Colonel  Stark,  —  and  "put  him- 
self under  the  command  of  General  Ward,  until 
further  order."  On  the  13th  of  June,  by  order  of 
Ward,  this  regiment,  fully  officered,  took  post  at 
Charlestown  Neck.  Colonel  Enoch  Poor  was  ap- 
pointed to  command  the  third  regiment,  M'hich, 
however,  did  not  arrive  at  the  camp  until  after 
June  17.  Nor  did  General  Folsom  arrive  at  Cam- 
bridge until  June  20. 

The  official  returns  of  the  army  are  so  defective 
and  inaccurate,  that  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain, 
with  precision,  its  numbers.  The  "  grand  Amer- 
ican army "  consisted  of  about  sixteen  thousand 
men.  Massachusetts  furnished  about  11,.500  ;  Con- 
necticut, 2,300  ;  New  Hampshire,  1,200  ;  Rhode 
Island,  1,000.  It  was  so  peculiarly  constituted,  each 
colony  having  its  own  establishment,  supplying  its 


6  BALTLE   OF  BUNKER   HILL. 

troops  with  provisions  and  ammunition,  and  direct- 
ing their  disposition,  that  its  only  element  of  uni- 
formity was  the  common  purpose  that  called  it 
together.  General  Ward  was  authorized  to  com- 
mand only  the  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire 
forces,  though  a  voluntary  obedience  was  yielded 
to  him  by  the  whole  army,  as  the  commander-in- 
chief.  Nor  was  it  until  after  the  experience  of 
the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  that  the  Committee  of 
War  of  Connecticut,  to  remedy  the  evils  of  the 
want  of  "  a  due  subordination,"  and  "  of  a  gen- 
eral and  commander-in-chief,"  instructed  Generals 
Spencer  and  Putnam  to  yield  obedience  to  Gen- 
eral Ward,  and  advised  the  colonies  of  Rhode 
Island  and  New  Hampshire  to  do  the  same  respect- 
ing their  troops. 

"  We  have  the  pleasure,"  the  "  Essex  Gazette  " 
of  June  8  says,  "  to  inform  the  public  that  the 
grand  American  army  is  nearly  completed.  Great 
numbers  of  the  Connecticut,  New  Hampshire, 
and  Rhode  Island  troops  are  arrived ;  among  the 
latter  is  a  fine  company  of  artillery,  with  four  ex- 
cellent field-pieces." 

General  Artemas  Ward,  the  commander-in- 
chief,  had  served  under  Abercrombie,  was  a  true 
patriot,  had  many  private  virtues,  and  was  prudent 
and  highly  esteemed  ;  Thomas  was  an  excellent 
officer,  of  a  chivalrous  spirit  and  noble  heart,  and 
was  much  beloved  ;  Putnam,  widely  known,  not  less 


NEW  ENGLAND.  7 

for  his  intrepid  valor  than  for  his  fearless  and  ener- 
getic patriotism,  was  frank  and  w.irm-hearted,  and 
of  great  popularit}-; ;  Pomeroy  had  fought  well  at 
Louisburg,  where  Gridley  had  won  laurels  as  an 
accomplished  engineer  ;  Prescott,  in  the  French 
war,  had  exhibited  great  bravery,  and  military  skill 
of  a  high  order  ;  Stark,  hardy,  independent,  brave, 
was  another  of  these  veterans ;  and  Greene  was 
commencing  a  service  that  was  to  build  up  a  fame 
second  only  to  that  of  Washington.  These  com- 
manders constituted  the  Council  of  War. 

It  is  dififirult  to  give  with  precision  the  number 
of  British  troops  in  Boston  under  General  Gage  at 
the  time  of  the  battle.  A  report  of  June  11  es- 
timates them  at  five  thousand.  The  "  London 
Clu'onicle"  of  the  8th  of  June  says:  "General 
Gage's  present  force  consists  of  the  27th,  35th,  and 
64th  Regiments  of  foot ;  the  re-enforcements  sent 
are  the  40th,  45th,  49th,  and  63d  Regiments  of  foot ; 
and  General  Preston's  light-horse.  This  force, 
when  complete,  it  is  said,  cannot  be  less  than  ten 
thousand  men."  A  letter  on  the  British  side,  dated 
Boston,  June  18,  says  :  "All  the  troops  from  Ire- 
land are  arrived  in  good  health  and  excellent  con- 
dition. Only  sixteen  horses  died  in  the  passage, 
and  they  brought  forty  spare  ones.  Sixteen  of  the 
transports  which  were  ordered  from  England  to 
New  York  are  by  the  General  ordered  to  Boston  ; 
with  this  addition  our  army  will  then  amount  to 


8  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

about  ten  thousand  men.  .  .  .  The  word  with  the 
Sons  of  Liberty,  as  the  rebels  style  themselves,  is 
*  join  or  die.'  I  expect  to  hear  of  bloody  work  soon, 
as  our  troops  are  determined  to  lay  all  the  country 
waste  as  they  go,  with  fire  and  swoid." 

The  general  officers  destined  for  America  were 
Generals  Burgoyne,  Clinton,  and  Howe.  When 
they  embarked,  the  following  impromptu  appeared 
in  the  "  Gentleman's  Magazine  :  "  — 

"Behold  tlie  '  Cerberus  '  the  Athmtic  plow, 
Her  precious  cargo,  Burgoyne,  Clinton,  Howe, 
Bow !  wow  !  wow  ! " 

The  "  Cerberus  "  arrived  May  25.  When  sailing 
into  Boston,  she  met  a  packet  coming  out,  bound 
to  Newport.  General  Burgoyne  asked  the  skipper 
of  the  packet  what  news  there  was.  Being  told 
that  Boston  was  surrounded  by  ten  thousand 
country  people,  he  asked  how  many  regulars  there 
were-  in  Boston ;  and  being  answered  about  five 
thousand,  cried  out  with  astonishment,  "  What ! 
ten  thousand  peasants  keep  five  thousand  king's 
troops  shut  up!  Well,  let  us  get  in,  and  we'll 
soon  find  elboAv-room." 

The  feelings  of  officers  and  iften  is  well  stated  in 
a  letter  written  in  the  "  Grenadier  Camp  "  on  the 
12th  of  June,  by  Captain  Harris,  subsequently  Lord 
Harris,  who  commanded  a  company  of  grenadiers. 
"  Affairs  at  present  wear  a  serious  aspect.  I  Avish 
the  Americans  may  be  brought  to  a  sense  of  their 
duty.     One  good  drubbing,  which  I  long  to  give 


NEW  ENGLAND.  9 

them,  by  way  of  retaliation,  might  have  a  good 
effect  towards  it.  At  present  they  are  so  elated 
by  the  pett}''  advantage  they  gained  the  19th  of 
April,  that  they  despise  the  power  of  Britain,  who 
seems  determined  to  exert  herself  in  the  conflict. 
-Troops  every  day  coming  in,  and  such  as  will  soon 
enable  us  to  take  the  field  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Demel,  alias  the  Neck." 

There  were  continual  reports  to  the  effect  that 
the  British  intended  to  sally  out  of  Boston.  Meas- 
ures were  adopted  to  prevent  this.  The  Commit- 
tee of  Safety  and  the  Council  of  War  appointed 
a  joint  committee  to  reconnoitre  the  heights  of 
Charlestown.  Their  report,  May  12,  recommended 
the  construction  of  a  breastwork  near  the  Red 
House ;  one  near  the  road  leading  to  the  McLean 
Asylum  ;  another  opposite,  on  the  side  of  Prospect 
Plill  ;  a  redoubt  on  the  top  of  the  hill  where  the 
guard-house  stood,  Winter  Hill,  to  be  manned  with 
three  or  four  9-pound ers  ;  and  a  strong  redoubt 
on  Bunker  Hill,  provided  with  cannon,  to  annOy 
the  enemy  either  going  out  by  land  or  by  water. 
"When  these  are  finished,"  the  Committee  say, 
"  we  apprehend  the  country  will  be  safe  from  all 
sallies  of  the  enemies  in  that  quarter."  This  report 
was  referred  to  the  Council  of  War.  At  this  time 
there  was  no  place  in  Charlestown  laiown  as 
Breed's  Hill. 

The  Council  of  War  accepted  the  report  so  far 
as  to  authorize  the  construction  of  a  part  of  these 


10  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  UlLL. 

works.  But  on  the  most  important  measure,  that 
of  occupying  Bunker  Hill,  there  was  much  differ- 
ence of  opinion.  General  Putnam,  Colonel  Pres- 
cott,  and  other  veteran  officers,  were  strongly  in 
favor  of  it,  and  chiefly  to  draw  the  enemy  out  of 
Boston  on  ground  where  he  might  be  met  on  equal  - 
terms.  They  urged  that  the  army  wiiihed  to  be 
employed,  and  that  the  country  was  growing  dis- 
satisfied with  its  inactivity.  They  felt  great  confi- 
dence in  the  militia.  "  The  Americans,"  Putnam 
said,  "  were  not  afraid  of  their  heads,  though  very 
raucli  afraid  of  their  shins :  if  you  cover  these,  they 
will  fight  for  ever."  Generals  Ward  and  Warren 
were  among  those  who  opposed  it ;  and  chiefly  be- 
cause the  army  was  not  in  a  condition,  as  it  re- 
spected cannon  and  powder,  to  maintain  so  exposed 
a  post,  and  because  it  might  bring  on  a  general 
engagement,  Avhich  it  was  neither  politic  nor  safe 
to  risk.  It  was  determined  to  take  possession  of 
Bunker  Hill,  and  also  of  Dorchester  Heights,  but 
not  until  the  army  should  be  better  organized,  more 
abundantly  supplied  with  powder,  aiid  better  able 
to  defend  posts  so  exposed.  . 

The  patriots  had  reports,  considered  reliable,  as 
to  the  contemplated  operations  of  General  Gage. 
His  Orderly  Book  indicates  immediate  work.  One 
order,  June  15,  reads :  "  The  regiments  who  have 
not  completed  their  grenadiers  and  light-infantry 
with  officers,  are  to  do  it  immediatel3%"  An  order 
on  the  IGthis:  "The  reo^iments  arrived  from  Ire- 


BUNKER  HILL.  11 

land  to  examine  their  urms  and  ammunition  imme- 
diately. Each  soldier  to  be  completed  with  sixty 
rounds  of  cartridges  and  three  good  flints,  and  see 
that  their  arms  are  put  in  the  best  order."  lie 
fixed  upon  the  night  of  June  18  to  take  possession 
of  Dorchester  Heights.  Authentic  advice  of  this 
was  communicated,  June  13,  to  the  American  com- 
manders. The  Committee  of  Safety  passed,  on  the 
15th,  the  following  resolve  :  — 

"  Whereas,  it  appears  of  importance  to  the  safety 
of  this  colony  that  possession  of  the  hill  called 
Bunker's  Hill,  in  Charlestown,  be  securely  kept 
and  defended ;  and,  also,  some  one  hill  or  hills  on 
Dorchester  Neck  be  likewise  secured :  therefore, 
resolved,  unanimously,  that  it  be  recommended  to 
the  Council  of  War  that  the  above-mentioned 
Bunker's  Hill  be  maintained,  by  sufficient  forces 
being  posted  there  ;  and  as  the  particular  situation 
of  Dorchester  Neck  is  unknown  to  this  Committee, 
they  advise  that  the  Council  of  War  take  and  pur- 
sue such  steps  respecting  the  same  as  to  them 
shall  appear  to  be  for  the  security  of  this  colony.'' 

The  Committee  appointed  Colonel  Palmer  and 
Captain  White  to  join  with  a  committee  from  the 
Council  of  War,  and  proceed  to  the  Roxbury  camp 
for  consultation ;  also  to  communicate  the  above 
resolve  to  the  Council. 

But  small  progress  had  been  made  in  building 
fortifications.  Breastworks  had  been  thrown  up 
in  Cambridge,  and  on  the  Cambridge  road  near 


12  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

the  base  of  Prospect  Hill ;  but  no  works  had  been 
commenced  on  Prospect  or  AVinter  Hill.  The 
army  was  posted  nearly  in  the  following  manner: 
The  right  wing,  under  General  Thomas,  was  at 
Roxbiuy,  and  consisted  of  about  four  thousand 
Massachusetts  troops.  The  Rhode  Island  forces, 
under  Greene,  and  the  greater  part  of  Spencer's 
regiment  of  Connecticut  troops,  were  at  Jamaica 
Plains.  General  Thomas  had  three  or  four  artil- 
lery companies,  with  field-pieces,  and  a  few  heavy 
cannon.  General  Ward's  head-quarters  were  at 
Cambridge,  where  the  centre  division  of  the  army 
was  stationed.  It  consisted  of  fifteen  Massachu- 
setts regiments  ;  the  battalion  of  artillery,  hardly 
organized,  under  Colonel  Gridlc}'  ;  and  General 
Putnam's  regiment,  with  other  Connecticut  troops. 
They  were  quartered  in  the  colleges,  in  the  church, 
and  in  tents.  Most  of  the  Connecticut  troops 
were  at  Inman's  Farm ;  part  of  Little's  regiment 
was  at  the  tavern  in  West  Cambridge  ;  Patter- 
son's regiment  was  at  the  breastwork,  near  Pros- 
pect Hill ;  and  a  large  guard  was  at  Lechmere's 
Point.  There  were  in  Cambridge,  it  is  stated 
(probably  incorrectly),  but  four  companies  of 
artillery  with  field-pieces.  Of  the  left  wing  of 
the  army,  three  companies  of  Gerrish's  regiment 
were  at  Chelsea ;  Stark's  regiment  was  at  Med- 
ford  ;  and  Reed's  regiment  was  at  Charlestown 
Neck,  with  sentinels  reaching  to  Penny  Ferry 
(Maiden  Bridge)  and  Bunker  Hill. 


BUNKER  HILL. 


13 


The  return  nearest  in  date  to  the  battle  that  I 
have  been  able  to  find  of  the  troops  at  Cam- 
bridge is  the  following,  dated  June  9,  and  enti- 
tled, "  Return  of  the  Army  at  Cambridge :  "  — 


Regiments.  Pricates. 

Whitcomb 470 

Brewer 318 

Nixon 224 

Little 400 

Mansfield 345 

Gridley  (artillery)      .    .  370 

Bridge 315 

Doolittle 308 


Regiments.  Privates. 

Frye 403 

Scaniraan     ....     396 

Fresco  tt 456 

Gerrish    ...  .421 

Woodbridge      .     .     .     242 

Ward 449 

Gardner 425 

Patterson     ....    422 


Drummers,  &c. 


6,063 
1,581 

7,644 


The  peninsula  of  Charlestown  is  situated  oppo- 
site to  the  north  part  of  Boston,  and  is  separated 
from  it  by  Charles  River.  It  is  about  a  mile 
in  length,  from  north  to  south.  Its  greatest 
breadth,  next  to  Boston,  is  about  half  a  mile, 
whence  it  gradually  becomes  narrower  until  it 
makes  an  isthmus,  called  the  Neck,  connecting  it 
with  the  mainland.  The  Mj^stic  River,  about 
half  a  mile  wide,  is  on  the  east  side ;  and  on  the 
west  side  is  Charles  River,  which  here  forms  a 
large  bay,— ^a  part  of  wliich,  by  a  dam  stretching 
in  the  direction  of  Cobble  Hill,  is  a  mill-pond. 
The  Neck,  an  artificial  causeway,  was  so  low  as  to 
be  frequently  overflowed  by  tlie  tides.     The  com- 


14  BATTLE    OF    BUNKER    HILL. 

munication  with  Boston  was  hj  a  ferry,  where 
Charles  River  Bridge  is,  and  with  Maiden  by- an- 
other, called  Penny  Ferr}-,  where  jMalden  Bridge 
is.  Near  the  Neck,  on  the  mainland,  was  a  large 
green,  known  as  The  Common.  Two  roads  ran 
by  it,  —  one  in  a  westerly  direction,  as  now,  by 
Cobble  Hill  (McLean  Asylum),  Prospect  Hill, 
Ionian's  Woods,  to  Cambridge  Common ;  the 
other  in  a  northerly  direction,,  by  Ploughed  Hill 
(Mount  Benedict),  Winter  Hill,  to  Medford. 
Bunker  Hill  begins  at  the  isthmus,  and  rises  grad- 
ually for  about  three  hundred  yards,  forming  a 
round,  smooth  hill,  sloping  on  two  sides  towards 
the  water,  and  connected  by  a  ridge  of  ground  on 
the  south  with  the  heights  now  known  as  Breed's 
Plill.  "Bunker  Hill"  was  well  known,  —  the 
name  being  in  the  town  records  and  deeds  from  an 
early  period.  Not  so  with  "  Breed's  Hill,"  for  it 
is  not  named  in  any  descrijjtion  of  streets  previous 
to  1775.  Nor  have  I  met  with  the  name,  in  any 
private  letter  or  public  paper,  prior  to  the  date  of 
the  battle.  The  tract  of  land  was  called  after  the 
owners  of  the  pastures  into  which  it  was  divided. 
Thus,  Monument  Square  was  a  portion  of  a  tract 
called  Russell's  Pasture ;  Breed's  Pasture  la}'  fur- 
ther south  ;  Green's  Pasture  was  at  the  head  of 
Green  Street.  The  easterly  and  westerly  sides  of 
this  height  were  steep  ;  on  the  east  side,  at  its  base, 
were  brickkilns,  claj'-pits,  and  much  slougliy  land  ; 
on  the  west  side,  at  the  base,  was  the  most  settled 


BUNKER  HILL. 


15 


part  of  the  town.  Moultou's  Point, 
a  name  coeval  with  the  settlement 
of  the  town,  constituted  the  south- 
east corner  of  the  peninsuhi.  A  jiart 
of  this  tract  formed  what  is  called, 
in  all  the  accounts  of  the  battle, 
''jMorton's  Hill."  "  Moulton  "  was 
the  name  hnoAvn  in  Charlestown. 
Bunker  Hill  was  one  hundred  and 
ten  feet  high,  Breed's,  seventy-five 
feet,  and  Morton's  Hill,  thirty-five 
feet.  The  principal  street  of  the 
peninsula  was  Main  Street,  which  ex- 
tended from  the  Neck  to  the  Ferry. 
A  highway  from  sixteen  feet  to  thirty 
five  feet  wide  ran  over  Bunker  Hill 
to  Moul  ton's  Point,  and  one  connect- 
ing with  it  wound  round  the  heights 
now  known  b}^  the  name  of  Breed's 
Hill.  The  easterly  portions  of  these 
hills  were  used  chiefly  for  hay  ground 
and  pasturing  ;  the  w^esterly  portions 
contained  fine  orchards  and  gardens. 
There  was  near  the  Boston  Ferry 
a  market-place,  —  now  the  Square. 
Here  were  a  church,  a  court-house, 
a  school-house,  and  a  jail. 


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16  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 


II. 


Breed's  Hill  Fortified.    Cannonade  of  the  British. 
The  Landing  at  Charlestown. 

/^N  Friday,  the  16tli  of  June,  the  command- 
^■^  ers  of  the  army  took  measures  to  fortify 
Bunker  Hill.  Orders  were  issued  for  Prescott's, 
Frye's,  and  Bridge's  regiments,  and  a  fatigue  party 
of  two  hundred  Connecticut  troops,  to  parade  at 
six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  with  all  the  intrenching 
tools  in  the  Cambridge  camp.  They  were  ordered 
to  furnish  themselves  with  packs,  blankets,  and 
provisions  for  twenty-four  hours.  Captain  Grid- 
ley's  company  of  artillery,  of  forty-nine  men  and 
two  field-pieces,  was  also  ordered  to  parade.  The 
Connecticut  men,  drafted  from  several  companies, 
were  put  under  the  gallant  Thomas  Knowlton,  a 
captain  in  General  Putnam's  regiment.  He  was 
a  prosperous  farmer,  living  in  Ashford,  Connecti- 
cut, and  had  served  with  distinction  in  the  French 
wars.  He  appeared,  on  the  Lexington  alarm,  in 
the  militia  company,  and  was  unanimously  elected 
captain. 

This  would  have  constituted  a  force  of  at  least 
fourteen  hundred ;  but  only  three  hundred  of  Pres- 
cott's regiment,  a  part  of  Bridge's,  and  a  part  of 


BREED'S  HILL  FORTIFIED.  17    - 

Frye's  nnder  Lieutenant-Colonel  Bricket,  the  artil- 
lery, and  the  two  hundred  Connecticut  troops,  were 
ordered  to  march.  Hence  the  number  may  be  fairly 
estimated  at  twelve  hundred. 

The  detachment  was  placed  under  the  command 
of  Colonel  WilHam  Prescott,  of  Pepperell,  who  had 
orders  in  writing,  from  General  Ward,  to  proceed 
that  evening  to  Bunker  Hill,  build  for Liii cations  to 
be  planned  by  Colonel  Richard  Gridley,  the  chief 
engineer,  and  defend  them  until  he  should  be  re- 
lieved. The  order  was  not  to  be  communicated 
until  the  detachment  had  passed  Charlestown  Neck. 
It  was  understood  that  re-enforcements  and  refresh- 
ments should  be  sent  to  Colonel  Prescott  on  the 
following  morning. 

Colonel  Prescott  was  over  six  feet  in  height,  of 
strong  and  intelligent  features,  with  blue  eyes  and 
brown  hair,  large  and  muscular,  but  not  corpulent. 
He  had  served  with  distinction  as  a  lieutenant  under 
General  "Winslow,  at  Cape  Breton.  He  had  com- 
manded a  regiment  of  minute-men.  His  brother- 
in-law,  Colonel  Willard,  a  few  months  previous, 
endeavoring  to  dissuade  him  from  the  active  part 
he  was  taking,  suggested  that  his  estate  and  life 
would  be  forfeited  for  treason.  He  replied  :  "  I 
have  made  up  my  mind  on  that  subject.  I  think  it 
probable  I  may  be  found  in  arms ;  but  I  will  never 
be  taken  alive.  The  tories  will  never  have  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  me  hanged." 

2 


18  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

General  Putnaca  enjoyed  great  popularity  with 
the  army.  An  "acrostic  in  the  newspapers  of  the 
day  gives  the  idea  entertained  of  him  :  — 

"  P  ure  mass  of  courage,  every  soldier's  wonder, 

U  nto  tlie  Field  he  steps,  inrobed  with  martial  Thunder, 

T  ares  up  the  elements,  and  rends  the  Earth  asunder. 

N  ature  designed  him  for  the  Field  of  Battle, 

U  nused  to  Statesmen's  wiles  or  courtier's  prattle, 

M  ars-like,  his  chief  Delights,  where  thundering  cannon  rattle." 

He  not  unlikely  was  among  the  Connecticut 
troops.  One  of  them  says  his  talk  was :  "  Men  I 
there  are  enough  of  you  on  the  Common  this  even- 
ing to  fill  hell  to-morrow,  so  full  of  the  red-coats, 
that  the  devils  will  break  their  shins  over  them." 

This  detachment  paraded  on  Cambridge  Com- 
mon at  the  time  appointed.  After  a  fervent  and 
impressive  prayer  by  President  Langdon,  of  Har- 
vard College,  it  commenced,  about  nine  o'clock,  its 
memorable  march  for  Charlestown.  Colonel  Pres- 
cott  was  at  its  head,  arrayed  in  a  simple  and 
appropriate  uniform,  with  a  blue  coat  and  a  three- 
cornered  hat.  Two  sergeants,  carrying  dark  lan- 
terns, were  a  few  paces  in  front  of  him,  and  the 
intrenching  tools,  in  carts,  in  the  rear.  Colonel 
Gridley  accompanied  the  troops.  They  were  en- 
joined to  maintain  the  strictest  silence,  and  were 
not  aware  of  the  object  of  the  expedition  until  they 
halted  at  Charlestown  Neck.  Here  Major  Brooks 
joined  them  ;  and,  probably,  General  Putnam  and 


BREED'S   niLL  FORTIFIED.  19 

another  general.  Here  Captain  ^ilU^ing',  with  his 
company  and  ten  of  the  Connecticut,  troops,  was 
ordered  to  proceed  to  the  lower  part  of  the  town 
as  a  guard.  The  main  body  then  marched  over 
Bunker  Hill,  and  again  halted  for  some  time.  Here 
Colonel  Prescott  called  the  field-officers  around 
hira,  and  communicated  his  orders.  A  Ions:  con- 
sultation  took  place  in  relation  to  the  place  to  be 
fortified.  The  veteran  Colonel  Gridley,  and  two 
generals,  one  of  whom  was  General  Putnam,  took 
part  in  it.  The  order  was  explicit  as  to  Bunker 
Hill ;  and  yet  a  position  in  the  "pastures  nearer  Bos- 
ton, now  known  as  Breed's  Hill,  seemed  better 
adapted  to  the  objects  of  the  expedition,  and  bet- 
ter suited  the  daring  spirit  of  the  officers.  "  One 
general  and  the  engineer  were  of  opinion  we  ought 
not  to  intrench  on  Charlestown  Hill  (Breed's  Hill) 
till  we  had  thrown  up  some  works  on  the  north 
and  south  ends  of  Bunker  Hill,  to  cover  our  men 
in  their  retreat,  if  that  should  happen  ;  but,  on  the 
pressing  importunit}^  of  the  other  general  officer,  it 
was  consented  to  begin,  as  was  done."  That  the 
best  position  was  Breed's  Hill,  Judge  Prescott 
says,  was  "  Colonel  Gridley's  opinion,  and  the 
other  field-officers  who  were  consulted,  —  they 
thought  it  came  Avithin  his  (Prescott's)  orders. 
There  was  not  then  the  distinction  between  Bun- 
ker Hill  and  Breed's  that  has  since  been  made." 
Thus  it  was  concluded  to  proceed  on  to  the  place 


20  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER   HILL. 

where  the  m^^H|^ent  now  stands.  At  the  same 
time,  it  was  determined  that  works  should  be  erected 
on  Bunker  Hill,  —  the  hill  on  which  the  Francis 
De  Sales  (Catholic)  church  stands.  When  the  de- 
tachment reached  the  place,  the  packs  were  thrown 
off,  the  guns  were  stacked,  Colonel  Gridley  marked 
out  the  plan  of  a  fortification,  tools  were  distrib- 
uted, and  about  twelve  o'clock  the  men  began  to 
work.  Colonel  Prescott  immediately  detached  Cap- 
tain Maxwell,  of  his  own  regiment,  and  a  party, 
with  orders  to  patrol  the  shore  in  the  lower  part  of 
the  town,  near  the  old  ferry,  and  watch  the  motions 
of  the  enemy  during  the  night.  General  Putnam, 
after  the  men  were  at  labor,  returned  to  Cam- 
bridge. 

Anxious  to  the  patriot  laborers  were  the  watches 
of  that  star-light  night.  The  shore  in  Boston,  op- 
posite to  them,  was  belted  by  a  chain  of  sentinels ; 
while  nearer  still,  British  men-of-war  were  moored 
in  the  waters  around  them,  and  commanded  the 
peninsula.  The  "  Falcon  "  Avas  off  Moulton's 
Point;  the  "Lively"  lay  opposite  the  present 
Navy  Yard  ;  the  "  Somerset  "  was  at  the  ferr}' ;  the 
"Glasgow"  was  near  Craigie's  Bridge;  and  the 
"  Cerberus,"  and  several  floating  batteries,  were 
within  gun-shot.  This  proximity  to  an  enemy 
required  great  caution ;  a  thousand  men,  accus- 
tomed to  handling  the  spade,  worked  with  great 
diligence  and  silence  on  the  intr^nchments  ;  while 


BREED'S  niLL  FORTIFIED.  21 

the  ciy  of  "  AlFs  well !  "  heard  at  intervals  through 
the  night  b}^  the  patrols,  gave  the  assurance  that 
they  were  not  discovered.  Colonel  Prescott,  ap- 
prehensive of  an  attack  before  the  works  were  in 
such  a  condition  as  to  cover  the  men,  went  down 
twice  to  the  margin  of  the  river  with  Major  Brooks 
to  reconnoitre,  and  was  delighted  to  hear  the  watch 
on  board  the  ships  drowsil}^  repeat  the  usual  cry. 
The  last  time,  a  little  before  daylight,  finding  every 
thing  quiet,  he  recalled  the  party  under  Maxwell  to 
the  hill. 

"  Colonel  Prescott  was  often  heard  to  say  that 
his  great  anxiety  that  night  was  to  have  a  screen 
raised,  however  slight,  for  his  men  before  they  were 
attacked,  which  he  expected  would  be  early  in  the 
morning,  as  he  knew  it  would  be  difficult,  if  not 
quite  impossible,  to  make  raw  troops,  however  full 
of  patriotism,  to  stand  in  an  open  field  against  ar- 
tillery and  well-armed  and  well-disciplined  soldiers. 
He  therefore  strenuously  urged  on  the  work ;  and 
every  subaltern  and  private  labored  with  spade  and 
pickaxe,  without  intermission,  through  the  night, 
and  until  they  resumed  their  muskets  near  the 
middle  of  the  next  day.  Never  were  men  in  worse 
condition  for  action,  —  exhausted  by  watching, 
fatigue,  and  hunger,  —  and  never  did  old  soldiers 
behave  better."  These  are  the  words  of  Judge 
Prescott. 

The  intrenchments,  by  tJie  well-directed  labor  of 


22  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

tlie  night,  were  raised  about  six  feet  high.  They 
were  first  seen  at  early  dawn,  on  the  17th  of 
June,  by  the  sailors  on  board  the  men-of-war.  The 
captain  of  the  "  Lively,"  without  waiting  for  or- 
ders, put  a  spring  on  her  cable  and  opened  a  fire 
on  the  American  works.  The  sound  of  the  guns, 
breaking  the  calmness  of  a  fine  summer's  morning, 
alarmed  the  British  camp,  and  summoned  the  pop- 
ulation of  Boston  and  vicinity  to  gaze  upon  the 
novel  spectacle.  Admiral  Graves  almost  imme- 
diately ordered  the  firing  to  cease  ;  but,  in  a  short 
time,  it  was  renewed,  by  authority,  from  a  battery 
of  six  guns  and  howitzers,  from  Copp's  Hill,  in 
Boston,  and  from  the  shipping.  The  Americans, 
protected  by  their  works,  were  not  at  first  injured 
by  the  balls ;  and  they  kept  steadily  at  labor, 
strengthening  the  intrenchments,  and  making  in- 
side of  them  platforms  of  wood  and  earth  to  stand 
upon  when  they  should  be  called  upon  to  fire. 

Early  in  the  day  Asa  Pollard,  a  private,  was 
killed  by  a  cannon-ball.  A  subaltern  informed 
Prescott  of  this,  and  asked  what  should  be  done. 
"  Bury  him,"  he  was  told.  "  What !  "  said  the 
astonished  officer,  "without  prayers?"  A  chap- 
lain insisted  on  performing  service  over  the  first 
victim,  and  gathered  many  soldiers  about  him. 
Prescott  ordered  them  to  disperse.  The  chaplain 
again  collected  his  audience,  when  the  deceased 
was  ordered  to  be  buried.     Some  of  tlie  men  left 


CANNONADE   OF   THE  BRITISH.  23 

the  hill.  To  mspire  confidence,  Colonel  Prescott 
mounted  the  purapet  and  walked  leisurely  around 
it,  inspecting  the  works,  giving  directions  to  the 
officers,  and  encouraging  the  men  by  approbation, 
or  amusing  them  with  humor.  One  of  his  captains, 
understanding  his  motive,  followed  his  example 
while  superintending  the  labors  of  his  company. 
This  had  the  intended  effect.  The  men  became 
indifferent  to  the  cannonade,  or  received  the  balls 
with  repeated  cheers.  "  The  Americans,"  a  Brit- 
ish writer  says,  "  bore  this  severe  fire  with  wonder- 
ful firmness,  and  seemed  to  go  on  with  their  business 
as  if  no  enemy  had  been  near."  The  following 
vessels  took  part  in  the  cannonade  during  the  day. 
The  position  of  the  "  Cerberus  "  is  not  given  in  the 
plans  of  the  battle  :  — 

Somerset,      68  guns,  520  men.     Captain  Edward  Le  Cras. 


Cerberus,      36 

„ 

„       Chads. 

Glasgow,       24 

„     130    „ 

William  IMaltby. 

Lively,          20 

„     130    „ 

„       Thomas  Bishop. 

Falcon, 

„      Linzee. 

Symmetry,   20 

„ 

The  tall,  commanding  form  of  Prescott  was  ob- 
served by  General  Gage,  as  he  was  reconnoitring 
the  Americans  through  his  glass,  who  inquired  of 
Councillor  Willard,  near  him,  "  Who  the  person 
was  who  appeared  to  command."  Willard  recog- 
nized his  brother-in-law.  "  Will  he  fi^ht  ?  "  again 
inquired  Gage.     "  Yes,  sir ;    he  is  an  old  soldier, 


24  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

and  will  fight  as  long  as  a  drop  of  blood  remains 
in  his  veins  !  "  "  The  works  must  be  carried,"  was 
the  reply. 

As  the  day  advanced  the  heat  became  oppressive. 
Many  of  the  men,  inexperienced  in  war,  had  neg- 
lected to  comply  with  the  order  respecting  pro- 
visions, while  no  refreshments  had  arrived.  Hence 
there  was  much  suffering  from  want  of  food  and . 
drink,  as  well  as  from  heat  and  fatigue  ;  and  this 
produced  discontent  and  murmurs.  The  officers 
urged  Colonel  Prescott  to  send  a  request  to  General 
Ward  for  them  to  be  relieved  by  other  troops.  The 
Colonel  promptly  told  them,  in  reply,  that  he  never 
would  consent  to  their  being  relieved.  "  The  en- 
emy," he  said,  "  would  not  dare  to  attack  them ; 
and  if  they  did,  would  be  defeated  :  the  men  who 
had  raised  the  works  were  the  best  able  to  defend 
them ;  already  they  had  learned  to  despise  the 
fire  of  the  enemy  ;  they  had  the  merit  of  the  labor, 
and  should  have  the  honor  of  the  victory." 

Colonel  Prescott,  about  nine  o'clock,  called  a 
council  of  war.  The  officers  represented  that  the 
men,  worn  down  by  the  labors  of  the  night,  in 
want  even  of  necessary  refreshments,  were  dissat- 
isfied, and  in  no  condition  for  action,  and  again 
urged  that  they  should  be  relieved,  or,  at  least,  that 
Colonel  Prescott  should  send  for  re-enforcements 
and  provisions.  The  Colonel,  though  decided  against 
the  proposition  to  relieve  them,  agreed  to  send  a 


CANNONADE    OF   THE  BRITISH.  25 

special  messenger  to  General  Ward  for  additional 
troops  and  supplies.  The  officers  were  satisfied, 
and  Major  John  Brooks,  afterwards  Governor 
Brooks,  was  despatched  for  this  purpose  to  head- 
quarters, where  he  arrived  about  ten  o'clock. 

General  Ward,  early  in  the  morning,  had  been 
urged  by  General  Putnam  to  send  re-enforcements 
to  Colonel  Prescott,  but  was  so  doubtful  of  its 
expediency  that  he  ordered  only  one-third  of 
Stark's  regiment  to  march  to  Charlestown  ;  and 
after  receiving  the  message  by  Major  Brooks,  he 
refused  to  weaken  further  the  main  army  at  Cam- 
bridge, until  the  enemy  had  more  definitely  revealed 
his  intentions.  He  judged  that  General  Gage  would 
make  his  principal  attack  at  Cambridge,  to  destroy 
the  stores.  The  Committee  of  Safety,  then  in  ses- 
sion, was  consulted.  One  of  its  most  active  mem- 
bers, Richard  Devens,  strongly  urged  that  aid 
should  be  sent ;  and  his  opinion  partially  prevailed. 
With  its  advice.  General  Ward,  about  eleven 
o'clock,  ordered  the  whole  of  the  regiments  of 
Colonels  Stark  and  Reed,  of  New  Hampshire,  to 
re-enforce  Colonel  Prescott.  Orders,  also,  were  is- 
sued for  the  recall  of  the  companies  stationed  at 
Chelsea. 

The  Provincial  Congress,  convened  at  Water- 
town,  held  sessions  morning  and  afternoon.  The 
Committee  of  Safety,  in  session  at  Cambridge,  issued 
an  order  to  the  selectmen  of  the  towns  to  send  all 


26  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

the  town  stocks  of  powder  instantly  to  AVatertown. 
The  Committee  of  Su^jpUes,  by  David  Cheever,  in 
a  letter  to  the  Committee  of  Safety,  states  that,  ex- 
clusive of  thirty-six  half-barrels  of  powder  received 
from  the  governor  and  council  of  Connecticut,  there 
were  only  in  the  magazine  twenty-seven  half-bar- 
rels, and  that  no  more  could  be  drafted  from  the 
towns,  without  exposing  them  more  than  they 
would  consent  to. 

The  Committee  of  Safety  asked  for  "  four  of  the 
best  riding-horses,"  to  bring  quick  intelligence  to 
head-quarters.  The  Committee  of  Supplies  replied 
that  they  had  no  horses  at  present,  but  what  were 
unfit  for  use,  or  were  wanted  for  the  expresses  of 
that  committee.  "  We  have  received,"  says  the  let- 
ter, "  but  ten  out  of  the  twenty-eight  horses  ordered 
by  Congress  to  be  delivered  us,  and  are  informed 
that  those  left  behind  are  some  of  the  best.  Pray 
take  them,  if  to  be  found,  unless  detained  by  the 
generals.  We  have  sent  to  procure  four,  which 
shall  be  sent  as  soon  as  possible." 

During  the  forenoon  a  flood-tide  enabled  the 
British  to  bring  three  or  four  floating-batteries  to 
play  on  the  intrenchments,  when  the  fire  became 
more  severe.  The  men-of-war  at  intervals  dis- 
charged their  guns,  —  the  "Glasgow,"  one  account 
states,  continued  to  fire  all  the  morning.  The  only 
return  made  to  this  terrific  cannonade  was  a  few 
ineffectual  shot  from  a  cannon  in  a  corner  of  the 


CANNONADE    OF   THE  BRITISH.  27 

redoubt.  About  eleven  o'clock  the  men  had  mostly 
censed  labor  on  the  works.  The  intrenching  tools 
had  been  piled  in  the  rear,  and  all  were  anxiously 
awaiting  the  arrival  of  refreshments  and  re-enforce- 
ments. No  works,  however,  had  been  commenced 
on  Bunker  Hill,  regarded  as  of  great  importance  in 
case  of  a  retreat.  General  Putnam,  who  was  on 
his  way  to  the  heights  when  Major  Brooks  was 
going  to  Cambridge,  rode  on  horseback  to  the 
redoubt,  "and  told  Colonel  Prescott  "  —  as  Gen- 
eral Heath  first  relates  the  circumstance  —  "that 
the  intrenching  tools  must  be  sent  off,  or  they 
would  be  lost.  The  Colonel  replied,  that  if  he  sent 
auy  of  the  men  away  with  the  tools,  not  one  of 
them  would  return.  To  this  the  General  answered, 
they  shall  every  man  return.  A  large  party  was 
then  sent  off  with  the  tools,  and  not  one  of  them 
returned.  In  this  instance  the  Colonel  was  the  best 
judge  of  human  nature."  A  large  part  of  the  tools 
were  carried  no  farther  than  Bunker  Hill,  where, 
by  General  Putnam's  order,  the  men  began  to 
throw  up  a  breastwork.  Most  of  the  tools  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

Soon  after  this,  the  enemy  were  observed  to  be 
in  motion  in  Boston.  General  Gage  had  called  a 
council  of  war  early  in  the  morning.  As  it  was 
clear  that  the  Americans  Avere  gaining  strength 
every  hour,  it  was  the  unanimous  opinion  that  it 
was  necessary  to  change  the  plan  of  operations  that 


28  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

had  been  agreed  upon,  and  drive  them  from  their 
newly  erected  works.  Different  views  prevailed  as 
to  the  manner  in  which  it  should  be  attempted. 
General  Clinton,  and  a  majority  of  the  council, 
were  in  favor  of  embarking  a  force  at  the  Common, 
in  Boston,  and,  under  the  protection  of  their  bat 
teries,  landing  in  the  rear  of  the  Americans,  at 
Charlestown  Neck,  to  cut  off  their  retreat.  A  roy- 
alist in  Boston  at  this  time  used  to  relate,  that 
knowing  the  British  officers  were  in  consultation 
at  the  Province  House,  on  the  morning  of  this  day, 
he  called  there  to  learn  their  intentions.  Immedi- 
ately after  the  arrangements  had  been  made  for  the 
attack,  he  met  in  the  front  yard  an  officer,  who 
warmly  inveighed  against  the  decision  of  the  other 
officers.  "  It  would  cost  many  lives  to  attack  in 
front ;  but  the  English  officers  would  not  believe 
the  Americans  would  fight."  In  the  morning  Gen- 
eral Gage  said  to  General  Timothy  Ruggles :  "  It 
is  impossible  for  the  rebels  to  withstand  our  arms 
a  moment."  Ruggles  replied:  ''Sir,  you  do  not 
know  with  whom  you  have  to  contend.  These  are 
the  very  men  who  conquered  Canada.  I  fought 
with  them  side  by  side  ;  I  know  them  well ;  they 
will  fight  bravely.  My  God !  Sir,  your  folly  has 
ruined  3'our  cause."  General  Gage  opposed  the 
plan  of  attack  in  the  rear  as  unrailitary  and  haz- 
ardous. It  would  place  his  force  between  two 
armies,  —  one    strongly   fortified,   and   the   other 


CANNONADE   OF   THE  BRITISH.  29 

superior  iu  numbers,  —  and  thus  expose  it  to 
destruction.  It  was  decided  to  attack  in  front, 
and  Gage  immediately  issued  the  following  mo- 
meutous  orders :  — 

"  General  Mofining  Orders. 

"June  17,  ten  o'clock. 

"  The  companies  of  the  35th  and  49th  Regi- 
ments that  are  arrived,  to  land  as  soon  as  the  trans- 
ports can  get  to  the  wharf,  and  to  encamp  on  the 
ground  marked  out  for  them  on  the  Common. 
Captain  Handheld  is  appointed  to  act  as  an  as- 
sistant to  the  deputy-quartermaster-general,  and  is 
to  be  obeyed  as  such.  The  ten  oldest  companies 
of  Grenadiers,  and  the  ten  oldest  companies  of 
Light  Infantry,  exclusive  of  the  regiments  lately 
landed,  the  5th  and  38th  Regiments,  to  parade  at 
half-past  eleven  o'clock,  with  their  arms,  ammuni- 
tion, blankets,  and  the  provision  ordered  to  be 
cooked  this  morning.  They  will  march  by  files  to 
the  Long  Wharf.  The  52d  and  43d,  with  the  re- 
maining company  of  Grenadiers  and  Light  Infan- 
trv,  to  parade  at  the  same  time  with  the  same 
directions,  and  march  to  the  North  Battery.  The 
47th  and  1st  Battalion  of  Marines  will  also  march, 
as  above  directed,  to  the  same  battery,  after  the  rest 
are  embarked,  and  be  ready  to  embark  there  when 
ordered.     The  rest  of  the  troops  will  be  kept  ia 


30  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

readiness  to  march  at  a  moment's  warning;.  One 
subaltern,  one  sergeant,  one  corporal,  one  drum- 
mer, and  twenty  privates  to  be  left  by  each  corps, 
for  the  security  of  their  respective  camps.  Any 
man  who  shall  quit  his  ranks  on  any  pretence,  oi 
shall  dare  to  plunder  or  pillage,  will  be  executed 
without  mercy." 

It  was  then  customary  to  select  from  each  regi- 
ment the  tallest  and  finest-looking  men  to  form  a 
company  of  Grenadiers,  who  occupied  the  right  of 
the  battalion  when  in  line,  and  led  in  attack.  Tliey 
were  distinguished  by  a  high  cap  and  other  pecu- 
liarities in  dress.  Hence  the  companies  ordered 
out  may  well  be  termed  the  flower  of  the  army. 
This  force  was  put  under  the  command  of  General 
Howe,  who  had  under  him  Brigadier-General 
Pigot,  and  some  of  the  most  distinguished  officers 
in  Boston.  He  was  ordered  to  drive  the  Ameri- 
cans from  their  works. 

About  twelve  o'clock  the  several  regiments 
marched  through  the  streets  of  Boston  to  their 
places  of  embarkation,  and  two  ships  of  war  moved 
np  Charles  River  to  join  the  others  in  firing  on  the 
works.  Suddenly  the  redoubled  roar  of  the  cannon 
announced  that  the  crisis  was  at  hand.  The  "Fal- 
con" and  the  "Lively"  swept  the  low  grounds  in 
front  of  Breed's  Hill,  to  dislodge  any  parties  of 
troops   that   might   be  posted  there  to   oppose    a 


THE   LANDING  AT   CHARLESTOWN.  31 

landing;  the  "Somerset,"  and  t\YO floating-batteries 
at  the  ferry,  and  the  battery  on  Copp's  Hill,  poured 
shot  upon  the  American  Avorks ;  the  "  Giasgo\y  " 
frigate,  and  the  "Symmetry"  transport,  mounting 
twenty  guns,  moored  farther  up  Charles  River, 
raked  tlie  Neck.  The  troops  embarked  at  the 
Long  Wharf  and  at  the  North  Battery  ;  and  when 
a  blue  i[\xg  was  displayed  as  a  signal,  the  fleet, 
with  field-pieces  in  the  leading  barges,  moved 
towards  Charlestown.  The  sun  was  shining  in 
meridian  splendor ;  and  the  scarlet  uniforms,  the 
glistening  armor,  the  brazen  artillery,  the  regular 
movement  of  the  boats,  the  flashes  of  fire,  and  the 
belchings  of  smoke,  formed  a  spectacle  brilliant 
and  imposing.  The  army  landed  in  good  order  at 
Moulton's  Point,  about  one  o'clock,  without  the 
slightest  molestation.  "  Several,"  a  British  letter 
says,  "  attempted  to  run  away  ;  and  five  actually 
took  to  their  heels  to  join  the  Americans,  but 
were  presently  brought  back,  and  two  of  them 
were  hung  up  in  terrorem  to  the  rest."  The 
boats   were   all   ordered   back   to   Boston. 

General  Howe  immediately  formed  his  command 
in  three  lines.  After  reconnoitring  the  American 
works,  he  applied  to  General  Gage  for  a  re-enforce- 
ment. While  waiting  for  it  to  arrive,  his  troops 
quietly  dined.  It  proved  to  many  a  brave  man  his 
last  meal. 

When   the   intelH2:ence   of  the  landing:    of  the 


32  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

British  troops  reached  Cambridge,  there  was  sud- 
denly great  noise  and  confusion.  The  bells  were 
rung,  the  drums  beat  to  arms,  and  adjutants  rode 
hurriedly  from  point  to  point,  with  orders  for 
troops  to  march  and  oppose  the  enemy. 

"Just  after  dinner,"  Chester  says,  "  I  was  walk- 
ing out  from  my  lodgings  quite  calm  and  composed, 
and  all  at  once  the  drums  beat  to  arms,  and  bells 
rang,  and  a  great  noise  in  Cambridge.  Captain 
Putnam  came  by  on  full  gallop.  '  What  is  the 
matter?'  says  I.  'Have  you  not  heard?'  'No.' 
'  Why,  the  regulars  are  landing  at  Charlestown,' 
says  he,  '  and  father  says  you  must  all  meet,  and 
march  immediately  to  Bunker  Hill  to  oppose  the 
enemy.'  I  waited  not,  but  ran  and  got  m}''  arms 
and  ammunition,  and  hasted  to  my  company  (who 
were  in  the  church  for  barracks),  and  found 
them  nearly  ready  to  march.  We  soon  marched, 
with  our  frocks  and  trousers  on  over  our  other 
clothes  (for  our  company  is  in  uniform  wholly  blue, 
turned  up  with  red),  for  we  were  loth  to  expose 
ourselves  by  our  dress  j  and  down  we  marched." 


An  Exact  View  of  The  Late  Battle  at  Charl^stown  jv^ie  ji'i'jy-^. 


BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  UILL.  33 


m. 


TiiK    Battle     of    Buxker    Hill.       The    Bukxixg    or 

ClIAULESTOWN.        TUE    ReTREAT    OF    TUE    AMERICANS. 

A  BOUT  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  intense 
anxiety  prevailed  at  the  intrenchments  on 
Breed's  Hill.  The  patriot  band  who  raised  them 
had  witnessed  the  brilliant  landing  of  the  British 
veterans,  and  the  return  of  the  barges  to  Boston. 
They  saw  troops  again  filling  the  boats,  and  felt, 
not  without  apprehension,  that  a  battle  was  inevi- 
table. They  knew  the  contest  would  be  an  unequal 
one, — that  of  raw  militia  against  the  far-famed 
regulars,  —  and  they  grew  impatient  for  the  prom- 
ised re-enforcements.  But  no  signs  appeared  that 
additional  troops  were  on  the  way  to  support  them. 
Teams  were  impressed  to  carry  on  provisions ; 
barrels  of  beer  arrived ;  but  the  supply  of  refresh- 
ments that  reached  them  was  so  scanty,  that  it 
served  only  to  tantalize  their  wants.  It  is  not 
strange,  therefore,  the  idea  was  entertained  that 
they  had  been  rashly,  if  not  treacherously,  l;d  into 
perilous  position,  and  that  they  were  to  be  left  to 
their  own  resources  for  their  defence.  "  The  dan- 
ger," Peter  Brown  wrote,  "  we  were  in  made  us 
think   there    was   treachery,    and    that    we    Avere 

3 


34  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

brought  here  to  be  all  slain.  And  I  must  and  will 
venture  to  say  there  was  treachery,  oversight,  or 
presumption  in  the  conduct  of  our  officers." 

This  idea,  however,  must  have  been  dispelled, 
as  characters  who  had  long  been  identified  with 
the  patriot  cause,  who  were  widely  known  and 
widely  beloved,  appeared  on  the  field  to  share  their 
perils,  and  assured  them  that  aid  was  at  hand. 

General  Pomeroy,  a  veteran  of  the  French  wars, 
as  brave  as  he  was  patriotic,  asked  of  Ward  a 
horse  to  take  him  to  the  field ;  and  one  was  sup- 
plied. On  his  arrival  at  the  Neck,  he  declined  to 
expose  the  horse  to  the  severe  fire  that  raked  it, 
and  coolly  walked  across.  He  joined  the  force, 
gun  in  hand,  at  the  rail-fence,  and  was  welcomed 
by  cheers. 

James  Otis  was  on  the  field.  He  was  an  invalid, 
stopping  at  Watcrtown  with  James  Warren,  sub- 
sequently the  President  of  the  Provincial  Congress, 
who  married  his  sister  Mercy.  He,  who  had  so 
nobly  served  his  country  v/ith  his  pen  and  in  the 
council,  could  not  resist  an  impulse  to  aid  it  in 
the  field.  "•  Your  brother,"  Warren,  on  the  18th 
of  June,  wrote  to  his  wife,  "  borrowed  a  gun,  &c., 
and  went  among  the  flying  bullets  at  Charlestown, 
and  returned  last  evening  at  ten  o'clock."  It  is 
not  possible  to  say  at  what  time  he  arrived,  or 
where  he  fought. 

General   Warren   was    at    Cambridge,    in    the 


BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL.  35 

Hastings  House,  near  the  College,  attending  a 
meeting  of  the  Committee  of  Safety.  He  declared 
his  purpose  of  joining  the  men  in  the  redoubt.  To 
the  affectionate  remonstrance  of  Elbridge  Gerry,  he 
replied,  "  Dulce  et  decorum  est  pro  patria  mori,"  — 
"  It  is  sweet  and  becoming  to  die  for  the  country." 
"  The  ardor  of  dear  Dr.  Warren,"  wrote  William 
Williams,  June  20,  "  could  not  be  restrained  by 
the  entreaty  of  his  brethren  of  the  Congress." 
He  mounted  a  horse,  and,  in  company  with  Dr. 
Townsend,  one  of  his  students,  set  out  for  Charles- 
town.  Townsend  soon  left  him,  and  he  overtook 
James  Swan  and  James  Wiuthrop,  who  were 
walking  to  the  field  of  battle.  Exchanging  salu- 
tations, he  passed  on  and  came  within  the  range 
of  batteries  at  the  Neck.  Here  he  left  his  horse 
and  walked  up  Bunker  Hill,  where  one  of  his 
students,  William  Eustis,  subsequently  governor, 
served  on  this  day  as  surgeon  ;  and  thence  down 
the  hill  to  the  rail-fence.  Here  he  met  Putnam, 
who  ofiered  to  receive  orders  from  him.  But 
Warren  replied,  "  I  am  here  only  as  a  volunteer. 
I  know  nothing  of  your  dispositions ;  nor  will  I 
interfere  with  tliem.  Tell  me  where  I  can  be 
most  useful."  Putnam  directed  him  to  the  re- 
doubt, with  the  remark,  "  There  you  will  be 
co^  3red."  When  Warren  said,  "Don't  think  I 
came  to  seek  a  place  oF  safety,  but  tell  me  where 
the  onset  will  be  most  furious."     Putnam  named 


36  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

the  redoubt.  Warren  then  went  to  the  reclou})t. 
He  was  enthusiastically  received.  "  All  the  men 
huzzaed."  He  said  that  he  came  to  encourage 
a  good  cause,  and  that  a  re-enforcement  of  two 
thousand  men  was  on  its  way  to  their  support. 
Prescott  asked  Warren  if  he  had  any  orders  to 
give  ;  who  replied  that  he  had  none,  saying,  "  The 
command  is  yours."  This  is  the  relation  by  Heath. 
Judge  Prescott  is  more  circumstantial.  "  General 
Warren,"  he  says,  "  came  to  the  redoubt,  a  short 
time  before  the  action  commenced,  with  a  musket 
in  his  hand.  Colonel  Prescott  went  to  him,  and 
proposed  that  he  should  take  the  command ;  ob- 
serving that  he  (Prescott)  understood  he  (Warren) 
had  been  appointed  a  major-general,  a  day  or  two 
before,  by  the  Provincial  Congress.  General 
Warren  replied,  "  I  shall  take  no  command  here. 
I  have  not  yet  received  my  commission.  I  came 
as  a  volunteer,  with  ray  musket,  to  serve  under 
you,  and  shall  be  happy  to  learn  from  a  soldier  of 
your  experience."    He  was  obeying  the  call  of  duty. 

General  Putnam,  who  had  the  confidence  of 
the  army,  again  rode  on,  about  this  time,  with 
the  intention  of  remaining  to  share  their  labors 
and  peril.  He  continued  in  Charlestown  through 
the  afternoon,  giving  orders  to  re-enforcements  as 
they  arrived  on  the  field,  cheering  and  animating 
the  men,  and  rendering  valuable  service. 

The  movements  of  the  British  along:  the  marain 


BATTLE    OF    BUNKER  HILL.  37 

of  Mystic  River  indicated  an  intention  of  flanking 
the  Americans,  and  of  surronnding  the  redoubt. 
To  prevent  this,  Colonel  Prescott  ordered  the 
artillery,  with  two  field-pieces,  and  Captain  Knowl- 
ton,  with  the  Connecticut  troops,  to  leave  the 
intrenchments,  march  down  the  hill,  and  oppose 
the  enemy's  right  Aving.  Captain  Knowlton  took 
a  position  six  hundred  feet  in  the  rear  of  the 
redoubt,  near  the  base  of  Bunker  Hill,  behind  a 
fence,  one  half  of  which  was  stone,  with  two  rails 
of  wood.  He  then  made,  a  little  distance  in  front 
of  this,  another  parallel  line  of  fence,  and  filled 
the  space  between  them  with  the  newly  cut  grass 
lying  in  the  fields.  This  line  runs  through  the  new 
burial-ground,  nearly  on  a  line  with  Elm  Street. 
While  Captain  Knowlton's  party  was  doing  this, 
between  two  and  three  o'clock,  Colonel  Stark, 
with  his  regiment,  arrived  at  the  Neck,  which 
was  then  enfiladed  by  a  galling  fire  from  the 
enemy's  ships  and  batteries.  Captain  Dearborn, 
who  was  by  the  side  of  the  Colonel,  suggested 
to  him  the  expediency  of  quickening  his  step 
across  ;  but  Stark  replied,  "  One  fresh  man  in 
action  is  worth  ten  fatigued  ones,"  and  marched 
steadily  over.  General  Putnam  ordered  part  of 
these  troops  to  labor  on  the  works  begun  on 
Bunker  Hill,  while  Colonel  Stark,  after  an  ani- 
mated address  to  his  men,  led  the  remainder  to 
the  position    Captain   Knowlton   had   taken,  and 


38  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER   HILL. 

they  aided  in  extending-  the  line  of  the  fence  breast- 
worlv  to  the  water's  edge,  by  throwing  up  a  stone- 
wall on  the  beach.  Colonel  Reed  left  the  Neck, 
and  marched  over  Bunker  Hill,  and  took  position 
near  Colonel  Stark,  at  the  rail-fence. 

The  defences  of  the  Americans,  at  three  in  the 
afternoon,  were  still  in  a  rude,  unfinished  state. 
The  redoubt  on  the  spot  where  the  monument 
stands  was  about  eight  rods  square.  Its  strongest 
side,  the  front,  facing  the  settled  part  of  the  town, 
was  made  with  projecting  angles,  and  protected 
the  south  side  of  the  hill.  The  eastern  side  com- 
manded an  extensive  field.  The  north  side  had 
an  open  passage-wa3^  A  breastwork,  beginning 
a  short  distance  from  the  redoubt,  and  on  a  line 
with  its  eastern  side,  extended  about  one  hundred 
yards  north  towards  a  slough.  A  sally-port,  be- 
tween the  south  end  of  the  breastwork  and  the 
redoubt,  was  protected  by  a  blind.  These  works 
were  raised  about  six  feet  from  the  level  of  the 
ground,  and  had  platforms  of  wood,  or  steps  made 
of  earth,  for  the  men  to  stand  on  when  they  should 
fire.  The  rail-fence  has  been  already  described. 
Its  south  corner  was  about  two  hundred  yards,  on 
a  diagonal  line,  in  the  rear  of  the  north  corner  of 
the  breastwork.  This  line  was  slightly  protected  ; 
a  part  of  it,  however,  —  about  one  hundred  yards, 
—  between  the  slough  and  the  rail-fence,  was  open 
to  the  approach  of  infantry.     It  was  the  weakest 


BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL.  39 

part  of  the  defences.  On  the  right  of  the  redoubt, 
along  a  cart-AVuy,  a  fence  was  made  simikr  to  the 
one  on  the  left.  The  redoubt  and  breastwork 
constituted  a  good  defence  against  cannon  and 
musketry,  but  the  fences  were  hardly  more  than 
the  shadow  of  protection. 

These  defences  were  lined  nearly  in  the  following 
manner :  The  original  detachment,  under  Colonel 
Prescott,  except  the  Connecticut  troops,  were  at 
the  redoubt  and  breastwork.  They  were  joined, 
just  previous  to  the  action,  by  portions  of  Massa- 
chusetts regiments,  under  Colonels  Brewer,  Nixon, 
Woodbridge,  Little,  and  Major  Moore,  and  one 
company  of  artillery,  —  Callender's.  Captain  Grid- 
ley's  artillery  company,  after  discharging  a  few 
ineffectual  shots  from  a  corner  of  the  redoubt  tow- 
ards Copp's  Hill,  moved  to  the  exposed  position 
between  the  breastwork  and  rail-fence,  where  it 
was  joined  by  the  other  artillery  company,  under 
Captain  Callender.  Perkins's  company,  of  Little's 
regiment,  and  a  few  other  troops,  Ciiptain  Nutting's 
company  —  recalled  from  Charlestown  after  the 
British  landed  —  and  part  of  Warner's  company, 
lined  the  cart-way  on  the  right  of  the  redoubt. 
The  Connecticut  troops,  under  Captain  Knowlton, 
the  New  Hampshire  forces,  under  Colonels  Stark 
and  Reed,  and  a  few  Massachusetts  troops,  were 
at  the  rail-fence.  General  Putnam  was  here  when 
the  action  commenced.    Three  companies  —  Captain 


40  BATTLE    OF   BUNKER  HILL. 

Wheeler's,  of  Doolittle's  regiment,  Captain  Crosby's, 
of  Reed's  regiment,  and  a  company  from  Wood- 
bridge's  regiment  —  were  stationed  in  Main  Street, 
at  tlie  base  of  Breed's  Hill,  and  constituted  the 
extreme  right  of  the  Americans.  Though  this 
statement  may  be  in  the  main  correct,  yet  such 
is  the  lack  of  precision  in  the  authorities,  that 
accuracy  cannot  be  arrived  at.  The  INlassachusetts 
re-enforcements,  as  they  camv3  on  to  the  field,  appear 
to  have  marched  to  the  redoubt,  and  were  directed 
to  take  the  most  advantageous  positions.  In  doing 
this,  parts  of  regiments,  and  even  companies  that 
came  on  together,  broke  their  ranks,  divided,  and 
subsequently  fought  in  various  parts  of  the  field 
in  platoons  or  as  individuals,  rather  than  under 
regular  commands. 

Meantime,  the  main  body  of  the  British  troops, 
in  brilliant  array  at  Moulton's  Point,  waited  quistl}'- 
for  the  arrival  of  the  re-enforcements.  It  was  nearlj' 
three  o'clock  when  the  barges  returned.  They 
landed  at  the  Old  Battery  and  at  Mardlin's  ship- 
yard, near  the  entrance  to  the  Navy  Yard,  the 
47th  Regiment,  the  first  battalion  of  marines,  and 
several  companies  of  grenadiers  and  light-infantry. 
The  most  of  them  marched  directly  towards  the 
redoubt.  There  had  now  landed  about  three  tliou- 
sand  troops. 

General  Howe,  just  previous  to  the  action,  ad- 
dressed his  army  in  the  following  manner :  — 


BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  UILL.  41 

"  Gentlemen,  —  I  am  very  happy  in  Laving  the 
honor  of  commanding  so  fine  a  body  of  men  :  I  do 
not  in  the  least  doubt  but  that  you  will  behave 
like  Englishmen ,  and  as  becoraeth  good  soldiers. 

"  If  the  enemy  will  not  come  from  their  intrench- 
ments,  we  must  drive  them  out,  at  all  events,  other- 
wise the  town  of  Boston  will  be  set  on  fire  by 
them. 

"  I  shall  not  desire  one  of  you  to  go  a  step  farther 
than  Avhere  I  go  myself  at  your  head. 

"  Remember,  gentlemen,  we  have  no  recourse 
to  any  resources  if  we  lose  Boston,  but  to  go  on 
board  our  ships,  which  will  be  very  disagreeable 
to  us  all." 

Before  General  Howe  moved  from  his  first  posi- 
tion, he  sent  out  strong  flank  guards,  and  directed 
his  field-pieces  to  play  on  the  American  lines. 
The  fire  from  Copp's  Hill,  from  the  ships,  and 
from  the  batteries,  now  centred  on  the  intrench- 
ments.  "  A  furious  cannonade,"  Heath  writes, 
"  and  throwing  of  shells  took  place  at  the  lines 
on  Boston  Neck  against  Roxbury,  with  intent  to 
burn  that  town ;  but  although  several  shells  fell 
among  the  houses,  and  some  carcasses  near  them, 
and  the  balls  went  through  some,  one  man  only 
was  killed."  The  fire  upon  the  lines  was  but 
feebly  returned  from  Gridley's  and  Cal lender's 
field-pieces.  Gridley's  guns  were  soon  disabled, 
and  he  drew  them  to  the  rear.     Captain  Callender, 


42  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  BILL. 

alleging  that  his  cartridges  were  too  large  for  liia 
pieces,  withdrew  to  Bunker  Plill.  Here  he  met 
Putnam,  who  ordered  him  to  retuiii.  Callcndcr 
returned  ;  but  soon  left  his  post,  and  was  deserted 
by  liis  men.  About  this  time,  Captain  Ford's 
company,  of  Bridge's  regiment,  came  on  to  the 
field,  and,  at  the  pressing  request  of  Putnam,  drew 
the  deserted  pieces  to  the  rail-fence.  The  gunner 
had  quitted  his  post,  but  Putnam  fired  four  guns. 
Meantime  Prescott  detached  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Robinson  and  Major  Woods,  each  with  a  party,  to 
flank  the  enemy.  Both  behaved  with  courage  and 
prudence.  No  details,  however,  are  given  of  their 
service.  Captain  AValker,  with  a  few  men,  prob- 
ably of  one  of  these  parties,  met  with  the  British 
near  the  Navy  Yard,  and  fired  fiom  the  cover  of 
buildings  and  fences.  On  being  driven  in,  he 
passed  with  a  few  of  the  party  to  their  right  flank, 
along  the  margin  of  Mystic  River,  where  he  was 
wounded  and  taken  prisoner.  The  greater  part 
of  his  men,  under  a  heavy  fire,  succeeded  in  regain- 
ing the  redoubt. 

The  general  discharge  of  artillery  was  intended 
to  cover  the  advance  of  the  British  columns.  They 
moved  forward  in  two  divisions,  —  General  Howe 
with  the  right  wing,  to  penetrate  the  line  at  the 
rail-fence,  and  cut  off  a  retreat  from  the  redoubt ; 
General  Pigot  with  the  left  Aving,  to  storm  the 
breastwork  and  redoubt.     "  The  assault,"  Stedman 


BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 


43 


44  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

says,  "  was  made  on  the  whole  front."  The  artil- 
lery, after  playing  a  short  time,  ceased,  and  General 
Howe  was  told  that  twelve-pound  balls  had  been 
sent  with  which  to  load  six-pounders,  when  he 
ordered  the  pieces  to  be  charged  with  grape. 
"  The  wretched  blunder,"  a  British  writer  says, 
*'  of  the  over-sized  balls  sprung  from  the  dotage 
of  an  officer  of  rank  in  that  corps,  who  spends  his 
whole  time  in  dallying  with  the  school-master's 
daughters." 

In  advancing,  however,  the  artillery  was  soon 
impeded  by  the  miry  ground  at  the  base  of  the 
hill,  and  took  post  near  the  brick-kilns,  whence 
its  balls  produced  but  little  effect.  The  troops 
moved  forward  slowly ;  for  they  were  burdened 
with  knapsacks  full  of  provisions,  obstructed 
b}^  the  tall  grass  and  the  fences,  and  heated 
by  a  burning  sun.  "These  posts  and  rails," 
a  British  writer  saj's,  "  were  too  strong  for  the 
columns  to  push  down ;  and  the  march  was  so 
retarded  by  the  getting  over  them,  that  the  next 
morning  they  were  found  studded  with  bullets, 
not  a  hand's-breadth  from  each  other."  But  they 
felt  unbounded  confidence  in  their  strength,  re- 
garded their  antagonists  with  scorn,  and  expected 
an  easy  victor3\  One  of  them  says  :  "  '  Let  us  take 
the  bull  b}'-  the  horns,'  was  the  phrase  of  some 
jxreat  men  among  us,  as  we  marched  on." 

The    Americans   coolly    waited  their   approach. 


BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL.  45 

Their  officers  ordered  them  to  reserve  their  fire 
until  the  British  were  within  ten  or  twelve  rods, 
and  then  to  wait  until  the  word  was  given.  /'  Pow- 
der is  scarce,  and  must  not  be  wasted,"  they  said  ; 
"  fire  low  ;  "  "  aim  at  the  waistbands  ;  "  "  wait 
until  you  see  the  white  of  their  ej^es  ; "  "  aim  at 
the  handsome  coats;"  "pick  off  the  command- 
ers." 

General  Pigot's  division  consisted  of  the  5th, 
38th,  43d,  47th,  52d  Regiments,  and  the  Marines, 
under  Major  Pitcairn.  The  38th  first  took  a  posi- 
tion behind  a  stone-wall.  Being  joined  by  the 
5th,  they  marched  up  the  hill.  The  47th  and  the 
j\rarines  moved  from  the  battery  where  they 
landed  directly  towards  the  redoubt.  The  43d 
and  52d  advanced  in  front  of  the  breastwork. 
The  troops  kept  firing  as  they  approached  the 
lines.  "  The}',"  Prescott  said,  "  commenced  firhig 
too  soon,  and  generally  fired  over  the  heads  of 
my  troops ;  and,  as  they  were  partially  covered 
by  the  works,  but  few  were  killed  or  wounded." 
When  Prescott  saw  the  enemy  in  motion,  he  went 
round  the  Avorks  to  encourage  the  men,  and 
assured  them  that  the  red-coats  would  never 
reach  the  redoubt  if  they  would  observe  his  direc- 
tions. The  advancing  columns,  however,  having 
got  within  gun-shot,  a  few  of  the  Americans 
could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  return  their 
fire,  without  waiting  for  orders.     Prescott   indig- 


46  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

nantly  remonstrated  at  this  disobedience,  and 
appealed  to  their  often-expressed  confidence  in 
him  as  their  leader ;  while  his  oflicers  seconded 
his  exertions,  and  some  ran  round  the  top  of  the 
parapet  and  kicked  up  the  guns.  At  length  the 
British  troops  reached  the  prescribed  distance, 
and  the  order  was  given  to  fire ;  when  there  was 
a  simultaneous  discharge  from  the  redoubt  and 
breastwork,  that  did  terrible  execution  on  the 
British  ranks.  But  it  was  received  Avith  veteran 
firmness,  and  for  a  few  minutes  was  sharply 
returned.  The  Americans,  being  protected  by 
their  works,  suffered  but  little  ;  but  their  murder- 
ous balls  literally  strewed  the  ground  with  the 
dead  and  wounded  of  the  enemy.  General  Pigot 
was  obliged  to  order  a  retreat,  when  the  exult- 
ing shout  of  victory  rose  from  the  American 
lines.  "  On  the  left,"  a  British  writer  says,  "  Pigot 
was  staggered,  and  actually  retreated  by  orders. 
Great  pains  have  been  taken  to  huddle  up  this 
matter." 

General  Howe,  in  the  mean  time,  led  the  right 
wing  against  the  rail-fence.  The  light-infantry 
moved  along  the  shore  of  Mystic  River,  to  turn 
the  extreme  left  of  the  American  line,  while  the 
grenadiers  advanced  directlv  in  front.  The  Ameri- 
cans  first  opened  on  them  Avith  their  field-pieces 
(Callender's)  with  great  effect,  some  of  the  dis- 
charges  being   directed   by   Putnam ;    aud   when 


BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  BILL.  47 

the  advancin;^  troops  deployed  into  line,  a  few, 
as  at  the  redoubt,  fired  without  waiting  for  the 
word.  Putnam  hastened  to  the  spot,  and  threat- 
ened to  cut  down  the  next  man  who  disobeyed. 
"  I,"  Philip  Johnson  states,  "  heard  him  say,  '  jNIen, 
3'ou  are  all  marksmen  ;  don't  one  of  you  fire  until 
you  see  the  white  of  their  eyes.' "  "  Lieutenant 
Dana  tells  me,"  Chester  says,  "  he  was  the  first 
man  that  fired,  and  that  he  did  it  singly  and  with 
a  view  to  draw  the  enemy's  lire  ;  and  he  obtained 
his  end  fully,  without  any  damage  to  our  party." 
This  drew  the  enemy's  fire,  which  they  continued 
with  the  regularity  of  troops  on  parade  ;  but  their 
balls  passed  over  the  heads  of  the  Americans.  At 
lenorth  the  officers  gave  the  word,  when  the  fire 
from  the  American  line  was  given  with  great 
effect.  Many  were  marksmen,  intent  on  cutting 
down  the  British  officers ;  and  when  one  was  in 
sight,  they  exclaimed,  "  There  !  see  that  officer  !  " 
"Let  us  have  a  shot  at  him!" — when  two  or 
three  would  fire  at  the  same  moment.  They  used 
the  fence  as  a  rest  for  their  pieces,  and  the  bullets 
were  true  to  their  message.  The  companies  were 
cut  up  with  terrible  severity;  and  so  great  Avas 
the  carnage,  that  the  columns,  a  few  moments 
before  so  proud  and  firm  in  their  array,  were  dis- 
concerted, partly  broken,  and  then  retreated. 
Many  of  the  Americans  were  in  favor  of  pursu- 
ing them,  and  some,  with  exulting  huzzas,  jumped 


48  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

over  the  fence  for  this  purpose,  but  were  prevented 
by  the  prudence  of  their  officers.  "  A  portion  of 
the  company,"  Captain  Mann  says,  "  twice  passed 
the  fence  huzzaing,  supposing,  at  the  time,  that  we 
had  driven  the  enemy." 

The  British  are  uniform  in  bearing  testimony 
to  the  murderous  effect  of  that  fire.  One  says : 
*'  Our  light-infantry  were  served  up  in  companies 
against  the  grass  fence,  without  being  able  to 
penetrate ;  indeed,  how  could  we  penetrate  ? 
Most  of  our  grenadiers  and  light-infantry,  the 
moment  of  presenting  themselves,  lost  three- 
fourths,  and  many  nine-tenths,  of  their  men.  Some 
had  only  eight  and  nine  men  a  company  left ; 
some  onl}'  three,  four,  and  five."  Another  says : 
"It  was  found  to  be  the  strongest  post  that  was 
ever  occupied  by  any  set  of  men." 

And  now  moments  of  joy  succeeded  the  long 
hours  of  toil,  anxiety,  and  peril.  The  American 
volunteer  saw  the  veterans  of  England  fly  before 
his  fire,  and  felt  a  new  confidence  in  himself.  The 
result  was  obtained,  too,  with  but  little  loss  on  his 
side.  Colonel  Prescott  mingled  freely  among  his 
troops,  praised  their  good  conduct,  and  congratu- 
lated them  on  their  success.  He  felt  confident  that 
another  attack  would  soon  be  made,  and  he  renewed 
his  caution  to  reserve  the  fire  until  he  gave  the 
command.  He  found  his  men  in  high  spirits,  and 
elated  by  the  retreat.     In  their  eyes  the  regulars 


BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL.  49 

were  no  longer  invincible.  General  Putnam  rode 
to  Bunker  Hill,  and  to  the  rear  of  it,  to  urge  on  le- 
enforcements.  Some  had  arrived  at  Charlestown 
Neck,  but  were  deterred  from  crossing  it  by  the 
severe  fire  that  raked  it.  Portions  of  regiments 
had  reached  Bunker  Hill,  where  they  scattered. 
Colonel  Gerrish  was  here,  and  confessed  that  he 
was  exhausted.  General  Putnam  endeavored  to 
rally  these  troops.  He  used  entreaty  and  com- 
mand, and  offered  to  lead  them  into  action,  but 
without  much  effect.  It  is  doubtful  whether  any 
considerable  re-enforcement  reached  the  line  of  de- 
fence during  the  short  interval  that  elapsed  before 
a  second  attack  was  made  by  the  British  troops. 
Captain  Chester  says :  "  The  men  that  went  to 
intrenching  overnight  were  in  the  warmest  of  the 
battle,  and  by  all  accounts  they  fought  most  man- 
fully. They  had  got  hardened  to  the  noise  of  can- 
non ;  but  those  that  came  up  as  recruits  were 
evidently  most  terribly  frightened,  many  of  them, 
and  did  not  march  up  with  that  true  courage  that 
their  cause  ought  to  have  inspired  them  with." 

General  Howe  in  a  short  time  rallied  his  troops, 
and  immediately  ordered  another  assault.  They 
marched  in  the  same  order  as  before,  and  continued 
to  fire  as  they  approached  the  lines.  But,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  previous  obstacles,  they  were  obliged  to 
step  over  the  bodies  of  their  fallen  countrymen. 
"It  was  surprising,"  a  British  writer  says,  "to  see 

4 


50  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

how  they  wouhl  step  over  their  dead  bodies,  as 
though  they  had  been  logs  of  Avood,"  The  artil- 
lery did  more  service  on  this  attack.  It  moved 
along  the  narrow  road,  between  the  tongue  of  land 
and  Breed's  Hill,  until  within  three  hundred  yards 
of  the  rail-fence,  and  nearly  on  a  line  with  the 
breastwork,  when  it  opened  a  severe  fire  to  cover 
the  advance  of  the  infantry.  The  American  offi- 
cers, grown  confident  in  the  success  of  their  ma- 
noeuvre, ordered  their  men  to  withhold  their  fire 
until  the  enemy  were  within  five  or  six  rods  of  the 
works. 

Charlestown,  in  the  mean  time,  had  been  set  on 
fire,  —  in  the  Square,  by  shells  thrown  from  Copp's 
Hill ;  and  in  the  easterly  part,  by  a  party  of  ma- 
rines from  the  "  Somerset."  As  the  buildings  were 
chiefly  of  wood,  the  conflagration  spread  with 
great  rapidity.  There  was  now  one  of  the  greatest 
scenes  of  war  that  can  be  conceived.  To  fill  the 
eye, —  a  brilliantly  appointed  army  advancing  to 
the  attack  and  storming  the  works,  supported  by 
co-operating  ships  and  batteries ;  the  blaze  of  the 
burning  town,  coursing  whole  streets,  or  curling 
up  the  spires  of  public  edifices  ;  the  air  above  filled 
with  clouds  of  dense  black  smoke,  and  the  sur- 
rounding hills,  fields,  roofs,  and  steeples  occuj)ied 
by  crowds  of  spectators :  to  fill  the  ear,  —  the 
shouts  of  the  contending  armies,  the  crash  of  the 
falling   buildings,   and  the   roar   of    the   cannon, 


THE  BURNING    OF   CHARLESTOWN.  51 

mortars,  and  musketry:  to  fill  the  mind,  —  the 
high  courage  of  men  staking  not  only  their  lives, 
but  their  reputation,  on  the  uncertain  issue  of  a 
civil  war,  and  the  intense  emotions  of  the  near 
and  dear  connections  standing  in  their  presence ; 
and,  on  the  other  side,  the  reflection  that  a  defeat 
of  the  regulars  would  be  a  final  loss  to  British  em- 
pire in  America.  "  I  have  seen  many  actions," 
writes  General  Jones,  the  colonel  of  the  52d  Reg 
iment,  June  19,  1775,  "  but  the  solemn  procession 
preparative  to  this,  in  embarking  the  troops  in 
the  boats,  the  order  in  which  they  rode  across  the 
harbor,  their  alertness  in  making  good  their  land- 
ing, their  instantly  forming  in  front  of  the  enemy 
and  marching  to  action,  was  a  grand,  interesting 
sight  to  all  concerned."  ..."  The  army  that  had  no 
share  in  the  action,  the  sailors  on  board  the  ships 
of  war  and  transports,  the  inhabitants  from  the 
rising  grounds,  and  from  windows  and  the  tops 
of  houses,  were  spectators,  and  beheld  with  aston- 
ishment true  British  valor,  .  .  .  saw  the  rebels, 
forced  from  their  cover,  .  .  .  leaving  Charlestown  in 
flames,  when  houses  would  no  longer  shelter  them." 
No  description  of  this  scene  is  more  graphic  than 
that  of  General  Burgoyne,  who  witnessed  the  bat- 
tle from  Copp's  Hill.  He  terms  it  "  a  complication 
of  horror  and  importance  beyond  any  thing  that 
ever  came  to  my  lot  to  witness."  "Sure  I  am, 
notliing  ever  has  or  can  be  more  dreadfully  terrible 


52  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

than  -what  was  to  be  seen  or  heard  at  this  time. 
The  most  incessant  discharge  of  guns  that  ever  was 
heard  with  mortal  ears." 

"  Amazing  scene  !  wliat  shuddering  prospects  rise  ! 
Wliat  liorrors  glare  beneath  the  angry  slcies ! 
The  rapid  flames  o'er  Charlestown's  height  ascend,  — 
To  heaven  tiiey  reach !  urged  by  the  boisterous  wind. 
The  mournful  crash  of  falling  domes  resound, 
And  tottering  spires  with  sparkles  seek  the  ground. 
One  general  burst  of  ruin  reigns  o'er  all ; 
The  burning  city  thunders  to  its  fall ! 
O'er  mingled  noises  the  vast  ruin  sounds  ; 
Spectators  weep  !  earth  from  her  centre  groans  ! 
Beneath  prodigious  unextinguished  fires 
Ill-fated  Charlestown  welters  and  expires." 

In  strange  contrast,  the"  day  was  calm  and  clear, 
—  nature,  in  its  beauty  and  repose,  smiling  serenely 
upon  it  all,  as  if  in  token  of  the  triumphant  end  of 
the  great  conflict. 

The  burning  of  the  town  neither  intimidated  the 
Americans  nor  covered  the  attack  on  their  lines. 
The  wind  directed  the  smoke  so  as  to  leave  a  full 
view  of  the  approach  of  the  British  columns,  which 
kept  firing  as  they  advanced.  Colonels  Brewer, 
Nixon,  and  Buckminster  were  wounded,  and  Ma- 
jor j\Ioore  was  mortally  wounded.  In  general, 
however,  tlie  balls  of  the  British  did  but  little  exe- 
cution, as  their  aim  was  bad,  and  the  intrench- 
ments  protected  the  Americans.  At  length,  at  the 
prescribed  distance,  the  fire  was  again  given,  which. 


THE  BURNING    OF   CH ABLEST  OWN.  53 

in  its  fatal  impartiality,  prostrated  whole  ranks  of 
officers  and  men.  Tlie  enemy  stood  the  shock,  and 
continued  to  advance  with  great  spirit ;  but  the 
continued  stream  of  fire  that  issued  from  the  whole 
American  line  was  even  more  destructive  than 
before.  "  The  discharge,"  says  Judge  Prescott, 
"  was  simultaneous  |iie  whole  length  of  the  line, 
and  though  more  destructive,  as  Colonel  Prescott 
thought,  than  on  the  former  assault,  the  enemy 
stood  the  first  shock,  and  continued  to  advance  and 
fire  with  great  spirit ;  but  before  reaching  the  re- 
doubt, the  continuous,  well-directed  fire  of  the 
Americans  compelled  them  to  give  way,  and  they 
retreated  a  second  time,  in  greater  disorder  than 
before.  Their  officers  were  seen  remonstrating, 
threatening,  and  even  pricking  and  striking  the 
soldiers,  to  urge  them  on,  but  in  vain.  Colonel 
Prescott  spoke  of  it  as  a  continued  stream  of  fire 
from  his  whole  line,  from  the  first  discharge  until 
the  retreat.  The  ground  in  front  of  the  worlds 
was  covered  with  the  dead  and  wounded,  —  some 
lying  within  a  few  yards."  "  My  God  !  "  Putnam 
said,  "  I  never  saw  such  a  carnage  of  the  human 
race !  " 

General  Howe,  opposite  the  rail-fence,  was  in 
the  hottest  of  it.  Two  of  his  aids,  and  other  offi- 
cers near  him,  were  shot  down,  and  at  times  he 
was  left  almost  alone.  A  British  officer  says : 
*'  He  was  three  times  in  the  field  left  by  himself, 


54  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

SO  numerous  were  the  killed  and  wounded  about 
him."  The  British  were  compelled  again  to  give 
way ;  and  they  retreated  even  in  greater  disorder 
than  before,  many  running  towards  the  boats.  The 
British  acknowledgments  are  generous :  "  They 
once  ran  and  filled  some  of  their  boats."  "  Twice 
were  they  stopped,  and  tw42e  returned  to  the 
charge."  "  It  required  the  utmost  exertion  in  all  the 
officers,  from  the  generals  down  to  the  subalterns, 
to  repair  the  disorder  which  this  hot  and  unex- 
pected fire  produced."  "  The  king's  troops  gave  way 
several  times,  and  it  required  the  utmost  efforts  of 
the  generals  to  rally  them."  "  A  moment  of  the  day 
was  critical;  Howe's  left  was  staggered."  The 
ground  in  front  of  the  American  works  was  covered 
with  the  killed  and  the  wounded. 

So  long  a  time  elapsed  before  the  British  came 
up  again,  that  some  of  the  officers  thought  they 
would  not  renew  the  attack.  General  Putnam 
was  on  Bunker  Hill,  and  in  the  rear  of  it,  urging 
forward  the  re-enforcements.  Much  delay  occurred 
in  marching  these  to  the  field.  Indeed,  great  con- 
fusion existed  at  Cambridge.  General  Ward  was 
not  sufficiently  supplied  with  staff-officers  to  bear 
his  orders ;  and  some  Avere  neglected,  and  others 
were  given  incorrectly.  Henry  Knox,  afterwards 
General  Knox,  aided  as  a  volunteer  during  the  day, 
and  was  engaged  in  reconnoitre  service.  Late  in 
the  day  General  Ward  despatched  his  own  regi- 


THE  BURNING   OF   CHARLESTOWN.  65 

ment,  Patterson's  and  Gardner's,  to  the  battle-field. 
Colonel' Gardner  arrived  on  Bunker  Hill,  when 
Putnam  detained  a  part  of  his  regiment  to  labor  on 
the  works  commenced  there,  while  one  company, 
under  Captain  Josiah  Harris,  took  post  at  the  rail- 
fence.  Part  of  a  regiment,  under  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Ward,  arrived  at  a  critical  time  of  the 
battle.  Other  regiments,  from  various  causes, 
failed  to  reach  the  lines.  JMajor  Gridle}'-,  of  the 
artillery,  inadequate  to  his  position,  with  part  of 
the  battalion,  marched  a  short  distance  on  Cam- 
bridge road,  then  halted,  and  resolved  to  cover  the 
retreat,  which  he  thought  to  be  inevitable.  Colo- 
nel Frye,  fresh  from  the  battle,  urged  him  forward ; 
but  Gridley,  appalled  by  the  horrors  of  the  scene, 
ordered  his  men  to  fire  at  the  "  Glasgow,"  and  bat- 
teries from  Cobble  Hill.  He  also  ordered  Colonel 
jVIansfield  to  sup[X)rt  him  Avith  his  regiment,  who, 
violating  his  orders,  obeyed.  Captain  Trevett, 
however,  disobeyed  his  superior,  led  his  company, 
with  two  field-pieces,  to  Bunker  Hill,  where  he 
lost  one  of  them,  but  drew  the  other  to  the  rail- 
fence.  Colonel  Scammans  was  ordered  to  go 
where  the  fighting  was,  and  went  to  Lechmere's 
Point.  Here  he  was  ordered  to  march  to  the  hill, 
which  he  understood  to  mean  Cobble  Hill,  whence 
he  sent  a  messenger  to  General  Putnam  to  inquire 
whether  his  regiment  was  wanted.  This  del.ay 
prevented  it  from  reaching  the  field  in  season  to 


56  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

do  any  good.     A  part  of  Gerrisb's  regiment,  under 
Migbil,  marched    from    Cambridge   to    Ploughed 
Hill,  where  Adjutant  Christian  Febiger,  a  gallant 
Danish  soldier  who  had  seen  service,  took  the  com- 
mand, called  upon  the  men  to  follow  him,  and 
reached  the  heights  in  season  to  render  valuable 
service.     Three  additional  Connecticut  companies, 
at  least,  under  Captains  Chester,  Clark,  and  Coit, 
arrived  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  battle ;  as  did 
also  Major  Durkee,  an  old  comrade  of   General 
Putnam.     Captain  Chester  marched  on  near  the 
close  of  the  engagement,  while  the  British  were 
coming  up  the  third  time.     Three  regiments  were 
near  him  when  he  left  Cambridge,  which  hastened 
forward  in  advance  of  his  company;    but  when 
Chester  overtook  them,  at  Bunker  Hill,  there  was 
hardly  a  company  in  any  kind  of  order.     The  men 
had  scattered  behind  rocks,  hay-cocks,  and  apple-* 
trees.      Parties,  also,  were  continually  retreating 
from  the  field;    some  alleging  they  had  left  the 
fort  with  leave  because  they  had  been  all  night  and 
day  on  fatigue  without  sleep  or  refreshment ;  some 
that  they  had  no  officers  to  lead  them  ;  frequently, 
twenty  were  about  a  wounded  man,  when  not  a 
quarter  part  could  touch  him  to  advantage  ;  while 
others  were  going  off  without  any  excuse.     Ches- 
ter obliged  one  company,  rank  and  file,  to  return 
to  the  lines.     Lieutenant  Webb  writes:  "  We  met 
many  of  our  worthy  friends,  wounded,  sweltering 


THE  BURNING   OF  CHARLESTOWN.  57 

in  their  blood,  carried  on  the  shoulders  by  their 
fellow-soldiers.  Judge  you  what  must  be  our 
feelings  at  this  shocking  spectacle ;  the  orders 
were,  press  on,  press  on,  our  brethren  are  suffering, 
and  will  be  cut  off." 

AVhile  such  was  the  confusion  on  Bunker  Hill, 
good  order  prevailed  at  the  redoubt.  Colonel 
Prescott  remained  at  his  post,  determined  in  his 
purpose,  undaunted  in  his  bearing,  inspiring  his 
command  with  hope  and  confidence,  and  j-et  cha- 
grined, that,  in  this  hour  of  peril  and  glory,  ade- 
quate support  had  not  reached  him.  He  passed 
round  the  lines  to  encourage  his  men,  and  assured 
them  that  if  the  British  were  once  more  driven 
back  they  could  not  be  rallied  again.  His  men 
cheered  him  as  they  replied,  "  \\e  are  ready  for 
the  red-coats  again !  "  But  his  worst  apprehen- 
sions, as  to  ammunition,  were  realized  as  the  report 
was  made  to  him  that  a  few  artillery  cartridges 
constituted  the  whole  stock  of  powder  on  hand. 
He  ordered  them  to  be  opened,  and  the  powder  to 
be  distributed.  He  charged  his  soldiers  "not  to 
waste  a  kernel  of  it,  but  to  make  it  certain  that 
every  shot  should  tell."  He  directed  the  few  who 
had  bayonets  to  be  stationed  at  the  points  most 
likely  to  be  scaled.  These  were  the  only  prepara- 
tions it  was  in  his  power  to  make  to  meet  his 
powerful  antagonist. 

General  Howe,  exasperated  at  the  repeated  re- 


58  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

pulses  of  his  troops,  resolved  to  make  another 
assault.  Some  of  his  officers  remonstrated  against 
this  decision,  and  averred  that  it  would  be  down- 
right butchery  to  lead  the  men  on  again  ;  but  Brit- 
ish honor  was  at  stake,  and  other  officers  preferred 
any  sacrifice  rather  than  suffer  defeat  from  a  col- 
lection of  armed  rustics.  The  boats  were  at  Bos- 
ton ;  there  was  no  retreat :  "  Fight,  conquer,  or 
die  !  "  was  their  repeated  exclamation.  A  second 
re-enforcement  of  four  hundred  marines,  under 
jNlajor  Small,  had  landed ;  and  General  Clinton, 
who  had  witnessed  from  Copp's  Hill  the  discom- 
fiture of  the  British  veterans,  and  saw  two  reg- 
iments on  the  beach  in  confusion,  threw  himself 
into  a  boat,  crossed  the  river,  joined  General  Howe 
as  a  volunteer,  and  rendered  essential  aid  in  rally- 
ing the  troops.  "  We,"  a  British  relation  says, 
"  should  have  been  forced  to  retire  if  General 
Clinton  had  not  come  up  with  a  re-enforcement  of 
five  or  six  hundred  men."  The  troops  had  lost 
their  confident  air,  appeared  disheartened,  and  man- 
ifested great  reluctance  to  marching  up  a  third 
time.  The  officers  at  length  formed  them  for  the 
last  desperate  assault.  The  British  general  had 
learned  to  respect  his  enemy,  and  adopted  a  wiser 
mode  of  attack.  "  One  error,"  Stedman  says,  was, 
"  that  instead  of  confining  our  attack  to  the  enemy's 
left  wing  only,  the  assault  was  made  on  the  whole 
front ; "  and  he  now  profited  by  this  experience. 


THE  BURNING   OF   CnARLESTOWN.  59 

He  ordered  the  men  to  lay  aside  their  knapsaclca, 
to  move  forward  in  column,  to  reserve  their  fire,  to 
rely  on  the  bayonet,  to  direct  their  main  attack  on 
the  redoubt,  and  to  push  the  arUller}^  forward  to  a 
position  that  would  enable  it  to  rake  the  breast- 
work. The  gallant  execution  of  these  orders  re- 
versed the  fortunes  of  the  day. 

General  Howe,  whose  fine  figure  and  gallant 
bearing  were  observed  at  the  American  lines,  led 
the  grenadiers  and  light-infantry  in  front  of  the 
breastwork,  while  Generals  Clinton  and  Pigot  led 
the  extreme  left  of  the  troops  to  scale  the  redoubt. 
A  demonstration  only  was  made  against  the  rail- 
fence.  A  party  of  Americans  occupied  a  few 
houses  and  barns  that  had  escaped  the  conflagra- 
tion on  the  acclivity  of  Breed's  Hill,  and  feebly 
annoyed  the  advancing  columns.  They,  in  return, 
only  discharged  a  few  scattering  guns  as  they 
marched  forward.  On  their  right  the  artillery  soon 
gained  its  appointed  station,  enfiladed  the  line  of 
the  breastwork,  drove  its  defenders  into  the  redoubt 
for  protection,  and  did  much  execution  within  it 
b}^  sending  its  balls  through  the  passage-way.  All 
this  did  not  escape  the  keen  and  anxious  eye  of 
Prescott.  When  he  saw  the  new  dispositions  of 
his  antagonist,  the  artillery  wheeling  into  its  mur- 
derous position,  and  the  columns  withholding  their 
fire,  he  well  understood  his  intention  to  concen- 
trate his  whole  force  on  the  redoubt,  and  believed 


60  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

that  it  must  inevitably  be  carried.  He  tliongbt, 
however,  that  duty,  honor,  tind  the  interest  of  the 
country,  requu*ed  that  it  should  be  defended  to  the 
last  extremity,  although  at  a  certain  sacrifice  of  many 
lives.  In  this  trying  moment,  he  continued  to  give 
his  orders  coolly.  Most  of  his  men  had  remaining 
only  one  round  of  ammunition,  and  few  more  than 
three  rounds  ;  and  he  directed  them  to  reserve  their 
fire  until  the  British  were  within  twenty  yards. 
At  this  distance  a  deadly  volley  was  poured  upon 
the  advancing  columns,  which  made  them  waver 
for  an  instant ;  but  they  sprang  forward  without 
returning  it.  The  American  fire  soon  slackened 
for  want  of  means,  while  the  columns  of  Clinton 
and  Pigot  reached  a  position  on  the  southern  and 
eastern  sides  of  the  redoubt,  where  they  were  pro- 
tected by  its  walls.  It  was  now  attacked  on  three 
sides  at  once.  Prescott  ordered  those  who  had  no 
bayonets  to  retire  to  the  back  part  of  it,  and  fire 
on  the  enemy  as  they  showed  themselves  on  the 
parapet.  A  soldier  of  noble  bearing  mounted  the 
southern  side,  and  had  barely  shouted,  "  The  day 
is  ours !  "  when  he  was  shot  down,  and  the  whole 
front  rank  shared  his  fate.  At  this  time  Major 
Pitcairn  fell.  Major  Tupper  then  took  the  com- 
mand, and  pressed  on  towards  the  redoubt.  Young 
Richardson,  of  the  Royal  Irish,  was  the  first  to 
mount  the  parapet.  The  remains  of  the  gren- 
adiers of  the  6od  Regiment  were  the  first  that 


THE  RETREAT    OF  THE  AMERICANS.  61 

entered  the  redoubt.  After  Captain  Horsford  had 
been  wounded,  and  Lieutenant  Dalrymple  had  been 
killed,  a  sergeant  took  the  command,  made  a  speech 
to  the  few  men  left,  saying,  "  We  must  either  con- 
quer or  die,"  and  entered  the  works. 

But  the  defenders  had  spent  their  ammunition, 
—  another  cannon  cartridge  furnishing  the  powder 
for  the  last  muskets  that  were  fired.  Its  substi- 
tute, stones,  revealed  their  weakness,  and  filled 
the  enemy  with  hope.  The  redoubt  was  soon  suc- 
cessfully scaled.  General  Pigot,  by  the  aid  of  a 
tree,  mounted  a  corner  of  it,  and  was  closely  fol- 
lowed by  his  men,  when  one  side  of  it  literally 
bristled  with  bayonets.  The  conflict  was  now  car- 
ried on  hand  to  hand.  Many  stood  and  received 
wounds  with  swords  and  bayonets.  But  the  Brit- 
ish continued  to  enter,  and  were  advancing  towards 
the  Americans,  when  Prescott  gave  the  order  to 
retreat. 

When  the  Americans  left  the  redoubt,  the  dust 
arising  from  the  dry,  loose  dirt  was  so  great  that 
the  outlet  was  hardly  visible.  Some  ran  over  the 
top,  and  others  hewed  their  way  through  the  ene- 
my's ranks.  Prescott,  among  the  last  to  leave, 
Avas  surrounded  by  the  British,  who  made  passes 
at  him  with  the  bayonet,  which  he  skilfully  parried 
with  his  sword.  "  He  did  not  run,  but  stepped 
long,  with  his  sword  up,"  escaping  unharmed, 
though  his  banyan  and  waistcoat  were  pierced  in 


62  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

several  places.  The  retiring  troops  passed  between 
two  divisions  of  the  British,  one  of  which  had 
turned  the  north-eastern  end  of  the  breastwork, 
and  the  other  had  come  round  the  angle  of  the  re- 
doubt ;  but  they  were  too  much  exhausted  to  use 
the  bayonet  effectually,  and  the  combatants,  for 
fifteen  or  twenty  rods  from  the  redoubt,  were  so 
mingled  together  that  firing  would  have  destroyed 
friend  and  foe.  The  British,  with  cheers,  took 
possession  of  the  works,  but  immediately  formed, 
and  delivered  a  destructive  fire  upon  the  retreating 
troops.  Warren,  at  this  period,  was  killed,  and 
left  on  the  field;  Gridley  was  wounded;  Bridge 
was  again  wounded ;  and  the  loss  of  the  Americans 
was  greater  than  at  any  previous  period  of  the  ac- 
tion. Colonel  Gardner,  leading  on  a  part  of  his 
regiment,  was  descending  Bunker  Hill,  when  he 
received  his  death-wound.  Still  his  men,  under 
Major  Jackson,  pressed  forward,  and,  with  Cush- 
ing's,  Smith's,  and  Washburn's  companies  of  Ward's 
regiment,  and  Febiger's  party  of  Gerrish's  regi- 
ment, poured  between  Breed's  and  Bunker  Hill  a 
well-directed  fire  upon  the  enemj^  and  gallantly 
covered  their  retreat. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Americans  at  the  rail-fence, 
under  Stark,  Reed,  and  Knowlton,  re-enforced  by 
Clark's,  Coit's,  and  Chester's  Connecticut  compa- 
nies. Captain  Harris's  company  of  Gardner's  regi- 
ment, Lieutenant-Colonel  Ward,  and  a  few  troops, 


THE  RETREAT   OF   THE  AMERICANS.  63 

maintained  their  ground  with  great  firmness  and 
intrepidity,  and  successfully  resisted  every  attempt 
to  turn  their  flank.  This  line,  indeed,  was  nobly 
defended.  The  force  here  did  a  great  service,  for 
it  saved  the  main  body,  who  were  retreating  in  dis- 
order from  the  redoubt,  from  being  cut  off  by  the 
enem3%  When  it  was  perceived  at  the  rail-fence 
that  the  force  under  Colonel  Prescott  had  left  the 
hill,  these  brave  men  "  gave  ground,  but  with  more 
regularity  than  could  have  been  expected  of  troops 
who  had  been  no  longer  under  discipline,  and  mxany 
of  whom  never  before  saw  an  engagement."  The 
whole  body  of  Americans  were  now  in  full  retreat, 
the  greater  part  over  the  top  of  Bunker  Hill. 

The  brow  of  Bunker  Hill  was  a  place  of  great 
slaughter.  General  Putnam  here  rode  to  the  rear 
of  the  retreating  troops,  and,  regardless  of  the 
balls  flying  about  him,  with  his  sword  drawn,  and 
still  undaunted  in  his  bearing,  urged  them  to  renew 
the  fight  in  the  unfinished  works.  "  Make  a  stand 
here,"  he  exclaimed ;  "  we  can  stop  them  yet ! " 
"  In  God's  name,  form,  and  give  them  one  shot 
more  !  "  It  was  here  that  he  stood  by  an  artillery 
piece  until  the  enemy's  bayonets  were  almost  upon 
him.  The  veteran  Pomeroy,  too,  with  his  shattered 
musket  in  his  hand,  and  his  face  to  the  foe,  en- 
deavored to  rally  the  men.  It  was  not  possible, 
however,  to  check  the  retreat.  Captain  Trcvett 
and  a  few  of  his  men,  with  great  difficulty  and 
great  gallantry,  drew  off  the  only  field-piece  that 


64  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

was  saved  of  the  six  that  were  in  the  action. 
Colonel  Scammans,  with  part  of  his  regiment,  and 
Captain  Foster's  artillery  company,  on  their  way  to 
the  field  of  battle,  reached  the  top  of  Bunker  Hill, 
but  immediately  retreated.  The  whole  body  retired 
over  the  Neck,  amidst  the  shot  from  the  enemy's 
ships  and  batteries,  and  were  met  by  additional 
troops  on  their  way  to  the  heights.  Among  Ihem 
Major  Brooks,  with  two  remaining  companies  of 
Bridge's  regiment.  One  piece  of  cannon  at  the 
Neck  opened  on  the  enemy,  and  covered  the  re- 
treat. 

The  British  troops,  about  five  o'clock,  with  a 
parade  of  triumph,  took  possession  of  the  same 
hill  that  had  served  them  for  a  retreat  on  the 
memorable  19th  of  April.  General  Howe  was 
here  advised  by  General  Clinton  to  follow  up  his 
success  by  an  immediate  attack  on  Cambridge.  But 
the  reception  he  had  met  made  the  British  com- 
mander cautious,  if  not  timid ;  and  he  only  fired 
two  field-pieces  upon  the  Americans,  who  retreated 
to  Winter  Hill,  Prospect  Hill,  and  Cambridge. 
Similar  apprehensions  were  entertained  on  both 
sides  respecting  a  renewal  of  the  attack :  the 
Americans  at  Winter  and  Prospect  Hills  lay  on 
their  arms,  while  the  British,  re-enforced  by  addi- 
tional troops  from  Boston,  threw  up  during  the 
night  a  line  of  breastwork  on  the  northern  side  of 
Bunker  Hill.  Both  sides,  however,  felt  indisposed 
to  renew  the   action.     The  loss  of  the  peninsula 


THE  RETREAT   OF   THE  AMERICANS.  G5 

clamped  the  ardor  of  the  Americans,  and  the  loss 
of  men  depressed  the  spirit  of  the  British. 

Prescott,  indignant  at  the  absence  of  support 
when  victory  was  within  his  grasp,  repaired  to 
head-quarters,  reported  the  issue  of  the  battle, 
already  too  well  known,  and  received  the  thanks 
of  the  Commander-in-chief.  He  found  General 
Ward  under  great  apprehensions  lest  the  enemy, 
encouraged  by  success,  should  advance  on  Cam- 
bridge, where  he  had  neither  disciplined  troops 
nor  an  adequate  supply  of  ammunition  to  receive 
him.  Prescott,  however,  assured  him  that  the 
confidence  of  the  British  would  not  be  increased 
by  the  result  of  the  battle  ;  he  always  thought  he 
could  have  maintained  his  post  with  the  handful 
of  men  under  his  command,  exhausted  as  they 
were  by  fatigue  and  hunger,  if  they  had  been  sup- 
plied with  sufficient  ammunition  and  with  bayo- 
nets ;  and  he  offered  to  retake  the  hill  that  night, 
or  perish  in  the  attempt,  if  three  regiments  of 
fifteen  hundred  men,  well  equipped  with  ammuni- 
tion and  bayonets,  were  put  under  his  command. 
Ward  wisely  decided  that  the  condition  of  his  army 
would  not  justify  so  bold  a  measure.  Nor  was  it 
needed  to  fill  the  measure  of  Prescott's  fame.  "  lie 
had  not  yet  done  enough  to  satisfy  himself,  though 
he  had  done  enough  to  satisfy  his  country.  He  had 
not,  indeed,  secured  final  victory,  but  he  had  se- 
cured a  glorious  immortality." 

5 


66  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 


IV. 


Character  of   the  Battle.    The  Question  of   Com- 
mand.    Pkescott.    Putnam.     Warren.     Pomeroy. 

'T~^HE  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  is  remarkable  od 
■^  many  accounts, — in  being  the  first  great 
battle  of  the  revolutionary  contest ;  in  the  aston- 
ishing resistance  made  by  inexperienced  militia 
against  veteran  troops ;  in  the  affecting  character 
of  its  prominent  incidents ;  in  the  sublimity  of  its 
spectacle ;  and  in  its  influence  on  the  fortunes  of 
the  war.  It  proved  the  quality  of  the  American 
soldier.  It  was  a  victory,  with  all  the  moral  effect 
of  victory,  under  the  name  of  a  defeat.  And  yet, 
at  first,  it  was  regarded  with  disappointment,  and 
even  with  indignation  ;  and  contemporary  accounts 
of  it,  Avhether  private  or  official,  are  rather  in  the 
tone  of  apology,  or  of  censure,  than  of  exultation. 
The  enterprise,  on  the  whole,  was  pronounced  rash 
in  the  conception  and  discreditable  in  the  execu- 
tion. A  severe  scrutiny  was  instituted  into  the 
conduct  of  those  who  were  charged  with  having 
contributed  by  their  backwardness  to  the  result. 
No  one,  for  years,  came  forward  to  claim  the  lionor 
of  having  directed  it;  no  notice  Avas  taken  of  its 
returning  anniversary;  and  no  naiTative  did  justice 


CHARACTER   OF  THE  BATTLE.  '      G7 

to  the  regiments  that  were  engaged,  or  to  the  offi- 
cers who  were  in  command.  Tlie  bravery,  how- 
ever, of  those  who  fought  it  was  so  resolute,  and 
their  self-devotion  was  so  lofty,  as  at  once  to  elicit, 
from  all  quarters,  the  most  glowing  commendation, 
and  to  become  the  theme  of  the  poet  and  the  ora- 
tor. "  To  a  mind,"  said  Governor  Johnstone,  in 
the  House  of  Commons,  "  who  loves  to  contemplate 
the  glorious  spirit  of  freedom,  no  spectacle  can  be 
more  affecting  than  the  action  at  Bunker's  Hill. 
To  see  an  irregular  peasantry,  commanded  by  a 
physician,  inferior  in  number,  opposed  by  every 
circumstance  of  cannon  and  bombs  that  could  ter- 
rify timid  minds,  calmly  wait  the  attack  of  the 
gallant  Howe,  leading  on  the  best  troops  in  the 
world,  with  an  excellent  train  of  artillery,  and 
twice  repulsing  those  very  troops,  who  had  often 
chased  the  chosen  battalions  of  France,  and  at  last 
retiring  for  want  of  ammunition,  but  in  so  respect- 
able a  manner  that  they  were  not  even  pursued, — 
who  can  reflect  on  such  scenes,  and  not  adore  the 
constitution  of  government  which  could  breed  such 
men !  " 

As  time  rolled  on,  its  connection  with  the  great 
movement  of  the  age  appeared  in  its  true  light. 
Hence  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  now  stands  out  as 
the  grand  opening  scene  in  the  drama  of  the  Amer- 
ican Revolution. 

It  has  been  remarked  that,  in  a  military  point  of 


68  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

view,  it  would  be  difficult  to  assign  a  just  motive 
to  either  party  for  this  conflict.  It  was  not  very 
important  for  the  American  army  to  hem  in  the 
British  army  in  Boston,  by  a  force  posted  so  near 
as  Bunker  Hill,  when  that  object  could  be  accom- 
plished by  a  force  a  little  farther  in  the  rear. 
While,  on  the  other  hand,  if  the  British  officers 
had  nothing  else  in  view  but  to  dislodge  the  occu- 
pants of  Breed's  Hill,  it  was  perfectly  competent 
for  them,  as  they  commanded  the  Mystic  and  the 
Charles  Rivers,  to  cut  off  all  communication,  and 
to  reduce  Prescott  and  his  men  to  famine.  The 
truth  is,  both  parties  were  ready  and  anxious  and 
determined  to  try  the  strength  of  their  arms.  The 
Americans  felt  confident  in  their  ability  at  least  to 
prevent  another  excursion  into  the  country.  On 
the  other  hand,  British  pride  was  touched  by  this 
exultation  and  daring,  and  by  the  reflection  that 
predictions  as  to  the  courage  of  the  Americans  and 
the  invincibility  of  the  regulars  had  been  so  com- 
pletel}''  falsified.  Two  regiments  —  it  had  been  writ- 
ten—  were  sufficient  to  beat  the  whole  strength 
of  the  province  ;  and  a  force  of  five  thousand  was 
sufficient  to  overrun  the  whole  of  the  colonies. 
Never  had  high-sounding  manifesto  been  followed 
by  such  mortifying  results.  The  veterans  who  were 
expected  to  make  this  triumphal  march  were  so 
closely  blockaded,  by  the  force  that  was  pronounced 
so  impotent  and  was  so  despised,  that  their  luxuri- 


CHARACTER  OF   THE  BATTLE.  69 

ous  fare  was  suddenly  changed  into  salt  provision. 
Thus  their  daily  food  stimulated  their  desire  for 
retaliation.  Besides,  the  army  was  sent  over  to 
bring  the  Americans  to  a  sense  of  their  duty,  and 
it  lor.ged  to  give  them  one  good  drubbing  as  a 
necessary  step  towards  it.  When,  therefore,  the 
British  officers  saw  the  redoubt,  and  saw  it  filled 
with  its  daring  band,  they  could  not  permit  that  it 
should  "  stand  in  their  very  face,  and  defy  them 
to  their  teeth."  Without  calculating  the  cost,  or 
without  caring  for  it,  their  object  was  to  destroy 
the  works  at  once,  by  the  power  of  the  royal  army, 
and  to  take  vengeance,  as  well  as  to  attain  secu- 
rity. 

The  reason  for  issuing  the  order  to  fortify  Bunker 
Hill  has  been  stated.  The  Council  of  War  had 
decided  not  to  occupy  so  exposed  a  post  until  the 
army  was  better  jjrepared  to  defend  it.  But  when 
it  was  certainly  known  that  the  enemy  had  deter- 
mined to  move  into  the  country,  the  Committee  of 
Safety,  with  that  disregard  of  consequences  which 
characterizes  so  remarkably  the  early  stage  of  the 
revolutionary  struggle,  advised  that  this  movement 
should  be  anticipated.  The  decision  has  been  pro- 
nounced rash.  It  was  followed  by  desolation  and 
carnage.  Much  precious  blood  was  shed.  Even 
the  "  beauty  of  Israel  fell  upon  his  high  places." 
This  daring  decision,  however,  was  productive  of 
consequences  of  the  highest  importance,  wliich  a 


70  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

less  terrible  ordeal  would  scarcel}'  have  produced. 
They  extended  throughout  the  war.  "  The  reso- 
lution," General  Wilkinson  says,  "  displayed  by 
the  provincials  on  this  memorable  day  produced 
eifects  auspicious  to  the  American  cause,  and  co- 
extensive with  the  war ;  for,  although  compelled 
by  sujicrior  numbers  to  yield  the  ground,  the  obsti- 
nacy of  their  resistance  put  an  end  to  that  confi- 
dence with  which  they  had  been  first  attacked,  and 
produced  measures  of  caution  bordering  on  timid- 
ity. There  can  be  no  doubt  that  we  were  indebted 
to  these  causes  for  the  unmolested  occupancy  of 
our  position  before  Boston."  ..."  To  the  cool 
courage  and  obstinacy  displayed  on  the  occasion, 
and  the  moral  influence  of  the  bloody  lesson  which 
Sir  William  Howe  received  on  that  day,  we  must 
ascribe  the  military  phenomenon  of  a  motley  band 
of  undisciplined  American  yeomanrj^  scarcely  supe- 
rior in  number,  holding  an  army  of  British  veterans 
in  close  siege  for  nine  months ;  and  hence  it  might 
fairly  be  inferred  that  our  independence  was  essen- 
tially promoted  by  the  consequence  of  this  single 
battle." 

General  Lee,  also  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution, 
says :  "  The  sad  and  impressive  experience  of  this 
murderous  da}'-  sunk  deep  into  the  mind  of  Sir 
William  Howe  ;  and  it  seems  to  have  had  its  influ- 
ence on  all  its  subsequent  operations,  with  decisive 
control." 


CHARACTER   OF   THE  BATTLE.  71 

One  of  the  more  immediate  of  its  results  —  the 
great  political  service  of  the  battle  —  was  to  pro- 
mote a  state  of  general  hostility.  This  already 
existed  in  Massachusetts,  where  war,  and  nothing 
short  of  war,  had  been  fully  resolved  upon  ;  but  it 
did  not  exist  in  some  of  the  other  colonies,  where 
the  spirit  raised  by  the  Lexington  alarm  had  soft- 
ened into  a  desire  of  reconciliation.  How  different, 
for  instance,  was  the  state  of  things  in  New  York, 
where  the  same  military  companies  were  directed 
by  the  Provincial  Congress  to  escort,  on  the  same 
day,  General  Washington  to  the  seat  of  war,  and 
Governor  Tryon  to  the  seat  of  power !  But  after 
it  had  been  demonstrated  that  the  New  England 
militia  had  stood  the  attack  of  the  British  regulars, 
and  had  twice  repulsed  them,  after  Warren  had 
fallen,  and  Charlestown  had  been  destroyed,  affairs 
changed  their  aspect.  New  confidence  was  felt  in 
the  American  arms.  There  were  new  justifying 
causes  for  open  war.  The  other  colonies  became 
arrayed  in  hostility,  side  by  side,  with  Massachu- 
setts. And  it  was  certain  that  peace  could  never 
be  established  between  the  two  countries,  except 
on  the  basis  of  an  acknowledgment  of  American 
independence  I 

The  commanding  officers  felt  that  the  army  was 
not  prepared  for  such  a  conflict.  The  Avant  of 
subordination  and  discipline  rendered  efficient  mili- 
tary command  impossible,  and  hence  the  proceed- 


72  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

ings  throughout  the  day  were  characterized  by- 
great  confusion.  The  evidence  on  this  point,  early 
and  hite,  is  uniform  and  decisive,  and  it  relates 
both  to  transactions  at  Cambridge  and  at  Charles- 
town.  During  the  battle  the  influence  of  Colonel 
Prescott  over  his  men  preserved  order  at  his  posi- 
tion. Says  Captain  Bancroft,  who  was  in  the 
redoubt,  "He  continued  through  the  hottest  of 
the  fight  to  display  admirable  coolness,  and  a  self- 
possession  that  would  do  honor  to  the  greatest 
hero  of  any  age.  He  gave  his  orders  deliberate!}', 
and  how  effectually  they  were  obeyed  I  need  not 
tell."  But  in  other  parts  of  the  field  the  troops 
fought  rather  in  platoons,  or  individually,  —  com- 
panies entirely  losing  their  order,  —  than  under 
regular  commands ;  and  in  some  instances,  where 
superior  officers  attempted  to  exercise  authority, 
their  orders  were  openly  disregarded.  Even  the 
orders  of  General  Ward  were  but  feebly  carried 
into  effect.  Much  of  this  delinquency  must  be 
placed  at  the  door  of  inefficiency  on  the  part  of 
some  of  the  officers ;  but  much  of  it  also  must  be 
ascribed  to  an  absence  of  the  principle  of  subordi- 
nation, from  the  generals  to  the  lower  officers. 
The  prompt  action  of  Connecticut,  relative  to  a 
commander-in-chief,  shows  that  the  evil  was  felt  in 
its  full  force. 

It  is  from  this  cause  —  the  want  of  subordina- 
tion,  and  the  confusion  —  that  it   is   a  question 


THE   QUESTION  OF   COM }f AND.  73 

whether  there  was  a  general  authorized  com- 
mander in  the  battle.  Had  the  army  been  fully 
organized,  and  had  the  rank  of  the  officers  been 
establislied,  such  a  question  could  not  have  arisen. 
It  is  not  one  of  recent  origin,  for  there  was  the 
same  perplexity  on  this  point,  immediately  after 
the  battle,  that  exists  now  ;  and  inquiries  in  rela- 
tion to  it  elicited  equally  unsatisfactory  answers. 
The  Orderly  Book  of  General  Ward  not  only  is 
silent  on  it,  but  contains  no  orders  for  the  conduct 
of  the  enterprise.  Nor  is  this  deficiency  entirely 
supplied  by  any  contemporary  document.  Yet  it 
is  from  authorities  of  this  character  that  a  correct 
conclusion  must  be  drawn. 

The  conclusion  warranted  by  the  evidence  is, 
that  the  original  detachment  was  j)laced  under  the 
orders  of  Colonel  Prescott,  and  that  no  general 
officer  was  authorized  to  command  over  him  during 
the  battle.  He  was  detached  on  a  special  service, 
and  he  faithfully  executed  his  orders.  He  filled  at 
the  redoubt  the  most  important  post,  the  duty  of  a 
commanding  officer,  from  the  hour  that  ground  was 
broken  until  it  was  abandoned.  He  detached  guards 
to  the  shores,  directed  the  laljor  of  the  works, 
called  councils  of  war,  made  applications  to  Gen- 
eral Ward  for  re-enforcements,  posted  his  men  for 
action,  fouglit  with  them  until  resistance  was  un- 
availing, and  gave  the  order  to  retreat.  General 
officers  came  to   this  position ;  but  they  did  not 


74  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

give  him  an  order,  nor  interfere  with  his  dispositions. 
When  General  Warren,  for  instance,  entered  the 
redoubt.  Colonel  Presuott  tendered  to  him  the 
command ;  but  Warren  replied  that  he  had  not 
received  his  commission,  and  should  serve  as  a 
volunteer.  "  I  shall  be  happy,"  he  said,  "  to  learn 
from  a  soldier  of  your  experience."  Colonel  Pres- 
cott,  therefore,  was  left  in  uncontrolled  possession 
of  his  post.  Nor  is  there  any  proof  that  he  gave 
an  order  at  the  rail-fence,  or  on  Bunker  Hill.  But 
he  remained  at  the  redoubt,  and  there  fought  the 
battle  with  such  coolness,  bravery,  and  discretion, 
as  to  win  the  unbounded  applause  of  his  contem- 
poraries, and  to  deserve,  through  all  time,  the 
admiration  of  his  countrymen. 

General  Putnam  exhibited  throughout  the  brav- 
ery and  generous  devotion  that  formed  a  part  of 
his  nature.  Though  of  limited  education,  fiery 
and  rough  in  speech,  he  was  a  true  patriot,  and  a 
fine  executive  officer.  He  was  in  command  of  the 
Connecticut  troops  stationed  in  Cambridge,  and 
shared  with  them  the  peril  and  glory  of  this  re- 
markable day.  In  a  regularly  organized  army  his 
appearance  on  the  field,  by  virtue  of  his  rank, 
would  have  given  him  the  command.  But  it  was 
an  army  of  allies,  whose  jealousies  had  not  jaelded 
to  the  vital  principle  of  subordination  ;  and  he  was 
present  rather  as  the  patriotic  volunteer  than  as 
the  authorized  general  commjinder.     He  exercised 


WARREN.  75 

an  important  agency  in  the  battle.  He  was  re- 
ceived as  a  welcome  counsellor,  both  at  the  laying 
out  of  the  works  and  during  the  morning  of  the 
engagement.  Besides  being  in  the  hottest  of  the 
action  at  the  rail-fence  and  on  Bunker  Hill,  — 
fighting,  beyond  a  question,  with  daring  intrepid- 
ity,—  he  was  applied  to  for  orders  by  the  le-en- 
forcements  that  reached  the  field,  and  he  gave 
orders  without  being  applied  to.  Some  of  the  offi- 
cers not  under  his  immediate  command  respected 
his  authority,  while  others  refused  to  obey  him. 
But  no  service  was  more  brilliant  than  that  of  the 
Connecticut  troops,  and  they  said:  "He  acts  nobl}- 
in  every  thing."  That  he  was  not  as  successful  in 
leading  the  Massachusetts  troops  into  action  ought, 
in  justice,  to  be  ascribed  neither  to  his  lack  of 
energy  nor  of  conduct,  but  to  the  hesitancy  of 
inexperienced  troops,  to  the  want  of  spirit  in  their 
officers,  and  to  the  absence  of  subordination  and 
discipline  in  the  arm}^  He  did  not  give  an  order 
to  Colonel  Prescott,  nor  was  he  in  the  redoubt 
during  the  action. 

General  Warren  exerted  great  influence  in  the 
battle.  Having  served  zealously  and  honorably  in 
the  incipient  councils  that  put  in  motion  the 
machinery  of  the  Revolution,  he  had  decided  to 
devote  his  energies  to  promote  it  in  its  future 
battle-fields.  He  was  accordingly  elected  major- 
general  on  the  14th  of  June,  but  had  not  received 
his  commission  on  the  day  of  the  battle. 


76  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

He  mingled  in  the  fight,  behaved  with  great 
bravery,  and  was  among  the  last  to  leave  the  re- 
doubt. He  was  lingering,  even  to  rashness,  in  his 
retreat.  He  had  proceeded  but  a  few  rods,  when 
a  ball  struck  him  in  the  forehead,  and  he  fell  to 
the  ground.  On  the  next  day,  visitors  to  the 
battle-field  —  among  them  Dr.  Jeffries  and  young 
Winslow,  afterwards  General  Winslow,  of  Bos- 
ton—  recognized  his  body,  and  it  was  buried  on 
the  spot  where  he  fell.  After  the  British  had  left 
Boston,  the  sacred  remains  were  sought  after,  and 
again  identified.  In  April  they  were  re-interred, 
with  appropriate  ceremonies,  when  Perez  Morton 
delivered  a  eulogy. 

The  intelligence  of  his  death  spread  a  gloom 
over  the  country.  The  many  allusions  to  him,  in 
contemporary  letters  and  in  the  journals,  indicate 
how  strong  a  hold  he  had  on  the  affections  of  his 
countrymen.  "  The  ardor  of  dear  Dr.  Warren," 
says  one,  "  could  not  be  restrained  by  the  entreaty 
of  his  brethren  of  the  Congress,  and  he  is,  alas, 
among  the  slain!  May  eternal  happiness  be  his 
eternal  portion."  Mrs.  Adams,  July  5,  writes: 
"Not  all  the  havoc  and  devastation  they  have 
made  has  wounded  me  like  the  death  of  Warren. 
We  want  him  in  the  senate  ;  we  want  him  in  his 
profession ;  we  want  him  in  the  field.  We  mourn 
for  the  citizen,  the  senator,  the  physician,  and  the 
warrior."     General  Howe  could  hardly  credit  the 


poMERor.  77 

report  that  the  president  of  Congress  was  among 
the  killed  ;  and  when  assured  of  it  by  Dr.  Jeffries, 
he  is  said  to  have  declared  that  this  victim  was 
worth  five  hundred  of  their  men.  Nor  was  his 
death  known  for  a  certainty  at  Cambridge  until  a 
few  days  after  the  battle.  On  the  19th  of  June, 
the  vote  of  the  Provincial  Congress,  in  assigning  a 
time  to  choose  his  successor,  says  he  was  "  sup- 
posed to  be  killed." 

Eloquence  and  song,  the  good  and  the  great, 
have  united  in  eulogy  on  this  illustrious  patriot 
and  early  martyr  to  the  cause  of  the  freedom  of 
America.  No  one  personified  more  completely 
the  fine  enthusiasm  and  the  self-sacrificing  patriot- 
ism that  first  rallied,  to  its  support.  No  one  was 
more  widely  beloved,  or  was  more  highly  valued. 
The  language  of  the  Committee  of  Safety,  who 
knew  his  character,  and  appreciated  his  service, 
though  brief,  is  full,  touching,  and  prophetic : 
"Among  the  dead  was  Major-General  Joseph 
Warren  ;  a  man  whose  memory  will  be  endeared 
to  his  countrymen,  and  to  the  worthy  in  every 
part  and  age  of  the  world,  so  long  as  virtue  and 
valor  shall  be  esteemed  among  mankind." 

General  Seth  Pomeroy  behaved  so  well  in  the 
battle,  that  in  some  of  the  accounts  he  is  assigned 
a  separate  command.  He  served  as  a  volunteer. 
He  fought  with  great  spirit,  and  kept  Avith  the 
troops  until  the  retreat.    His  musket  was  shattered 


78  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

by  a  ball,  but  he  retained  it,  and  with  it  continued 
to  animate  the  men.  He  thought  it  strange  that 
Warren,  "  the  young  and  chivalrous  soldier,"  says 
Colonel  Swett,  "  the  eloquent  and  enlightened 
legislator,  should  fall,  and  he  escape,  old  and 
useless,  unhurt."  Soon  after  the  battle,  he  de- 
clined, on  account  of  age,  the  appointment  as  first 
brigadier-general  of  the  army,  but  as  colonel  com- 
manded a  regiment  in  the  Jerseys.  His  exposure 
brought  on  pleurisy,  and  he  died  at  Peekskill, 
New  York. 


SERVICES   OF   TUB  REGIMENTS.  79 


Y. 


Services  of  the  Regiments.  Notices  of  the  Offi- 
cers. Numbers  f.xgaged.  British  Criticism.  De- 
struction of  Ciiaulestowx. 

TT  is  difficult  to  assign  with  precision  the  credit 
-'-  due  to  the  American  regiments  engaged  in 
the  Bunker  Hill  battle.  None  of  the  early  ac- 
counts mention  them  in  detail.  No  official  report 
specifies  the  service  they  performed.  And  the 
only  guide,  in  the  printed  material  of  1775,  is  a 
list  of  the  killed  and  wounded  of  each  regiment, 
that  appeared  in  a  Providence  newspaper.  The 
official  returns  of  the  ariny,  previous  to  June  17, 
are  very  imperfect,  while  those  of  a  later  date  con- 
tain names  of  soldiers  not  in  the  action. 

William  Prescott's  regiment,  from  Middlesex, 
was  commissioned  May  26,  and  a  return  of  this 
date  is  the  latest,  before  the  battle,  I  have  seen. 
Its  lieutenant-colonel,  John  Robinson,  and  its 
major,  Henry  Wood,  behaved  with  great  coolness 
and  bravery.  Its  adjutant,  William  Green,  was 
wounded.  Captains  INIaxwell  and  Farwell  were 
badly  wounded;  and  Lieutenants  Faucett  and 
Brown  were  wounded,  —  the  former  mortally,  and 
was  left  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.     Lieutenant 


80  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER   HILL. 

Prescott,  a  nephew  of  the  colonel,  and  probably 
of  this  regiment,  received  a  ball  in  the  arm,  but 
continued  to  load  his  musket,  and  was  passing  by 
the  sally-port  to  discharge  it  when  a  cannon-shot 
cut  him  in  pieces.  A  company  of  fifty-nine  men 
from  Hollis,  New  Hampshire,  under  Captain  Reu- 
ben Dow,  was  commi.^sioned  May  19.  They 
worked  all  the  night  of  the  IGth,  fought  bravely 
the  next  day.     Eight  were  killed. 

James  Frye's  regiment,  from  Essex,  was  com- 
missioned May  20.  James  Bricket  was  lieutenant- 
colonel;  Thomas  Poor,  major;  Daniel  Hardy, 
adjutant ;  Thomas  Kittredge,  surgeon.  Frye  did 
not  go  with  his  regiment  on  the  IGth,  on  account 
of  indisposition ;  but  was  in  the  battle,  and  be- 
haved with  spirit.  r)ricket,  a  i)hysician,  was 
wounded,  went  to  Bunker  Hill,  and  attended  the 
wounded.  The  service  of  a  colored  man,  Salem 
Poor,  elicited  the  declaration  from  fourteen  officers 
—  one  of  them  Prescott  —  that  he  behaved  like  an 
experienced  officer,  and  that  "in  his  person  cen- 
tred a  brave  and  gallant  soldier." 

Ebenezer  Bridge's  regimeiit  was  commissioned 
May  27.  Moses  Parker  was  lieutenant-colonel ; 
John  Brooks,  major  ;  Joseph  Fox,  adjutant ;  John 
Bridge,  quartermaster.  A  return,  dated  June  23, 
gives  but  nine  companies  belonging  to  it.  Though 
the  whole  regiment  was  ordered  to  parade  on  the 
IGth  of  June,  yet  it  is  stated  that  three  of  its  com- 


NOTICES   OF   THE   OFFICERS.  81 

paiiies  did  not  go  on  under  Colonel  Prescott.  Ford's 
company  reached  the  field  just  before  the  action 
began  ;  and  a  portion  of  this  regiment,  —  two  com- 
panies, —  under  INIajor  Brooks,  \yere  on  the  way 
to  the  hill  when  the  Americans  were  retreating. 
Colonel  Bridge,  though  wounded  on  the  head  and 
in  the  neck  by  a  sword-cut,  and  though  he  was 
one  of  the  last  to  retreat,  did  not  escape  the  scru- 
tiny that  took  place  in  relation  to  the  battle.  It 
was  charged  against  him  that  he  kept  too  cautiousl}^ 
covered  in  the  redoubt.  He  was  tried,  and  ac- 
quitted on  the  ground  of  indisposition  of  body. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Parker  was  a  skilful  and  brave 
veteran  of  the  French  wars,  and  behaved  with  great 
gallantry  in  the  action.  A  ball  fractured  his  knee, 
and  he  was  left  in  the  redoubt.  The  British  carried 
liim  a  prisoner  to  Boston,  lodged  him  in  the  jail, 
where,  after  the  amputation  of  his  leg,  he  died  on 
the  4th  of  July,  aged  forty-three.  He  was  a  good 
officer,  much  beloved  by  his  regiment,  and  his  loss 
was  severely  felt.  An  obituary  notice  of  him  —  in 
the  "  New  England  Chronicle,"  July  21,  1775  — 
says  :  "  In  him  fortitude,  prudence,  humanity,  and 
compassion  all  conspired  to  heighten  the  lustre  of 
his  military  virtues  ;  "  and  it  states  that,  "through 
the  several  commissions  to  which  his  merit  entitled 
him,  he  had  always  the  pleasure  to  find  that  he  pos- 
sessed the  esteem  and  respect  of  his  soldiers,  and 
the  applause  of  his  countrymen."    The  notice  con- 

6 


82  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  BILL. 

eludes  in  the  following  strain :  "  God  grant  each 
individual  that  now  is,  or  may  be,  engaged  in  the 
American  army  an  equal  magnitude  of  soul ;  so 
shall  their  names,  unsullied,  be  transmitted  in  the 
latest  catalogue  of  fame  ;  and  if  any  vestiges  of 
liberty  shall  remain,  their  praises  shall  be  rehearsed 
through  the  earth,  '  till  the  sickle  of  time  shall  crop 
the  creation.'  " 

Major  Brooks  —  afterwards  Governor  Brooks  — 
was  not  on  the  hill  in  the  afternoon.  His  duties 
on  this  day  have  been  stated.  Captain  Walker, 
whose  daring  reconnoitre  service  has  been  de- 
scribed, was  carried  to  Boston,  severely  wounded. 
His  leg  was  amputated,  but  he  did  not  receive 
proper  attention,  and  died  during  the  following 
August.  Captain  Coburn's  clothes  were  liddled 
with  balls.  Captain  Bancroft  fought  nobly  in  the 
redoubt,  and  was  wounded.  Captain  Ford  behaved 
with  much  spirit. 

Moses  Little's  regiment  was  not  commissioned 
until  June  26.  A  return,  dated  June  15,  of  nine 
companies,  reports  Captain  Collins's  company  in 
Gloucester,  and  Captain  Parker's  as  ready  to 
march  from  Ipswich.  Depositions  state  that,  on 
the  evening  of  June  16,  Captains  Gerrish  and  Per- 
kins were  at  West  Cambridge,  and  that  Captain 
Lunt  was  detached  to  Lechmere's  Point,  as  a  guard. 
Captain  Perkins's,  Wade's,  and  Warner's  companies 
were  led  oi»  by  Colonel  Little,  before  the  action 


NOTICES    OF   THE   OFFICERS.  83 

commenced ;  Captain  Lunt  went  on  near  its  close. 
Swett  states  that  Captain  Warner,  who  narrowly 
escaped,  led  on  but  twenty-three  men,  and  that 
seventeen  of  these  were  either  killed  or  wounded. 
Perkins  marched  with  all  possible  expedition,  and 
was  of  eminent  service.  "He  fired  away  all  his 
cartridges,  and,  having  some  loose  powder  in  his 
pocket,  he  was  obliged  to  strij)  and  tear  off  some 
part  of  his  shirt  to  make  wadding  of;  and  when 
he  had  fired  away  all  his  powder,  he  retreated, 
without  hat  or  wig,  and  almost  naked."  Jenkins 
behaved  with  equal  valor.  Onlj'^  forty  are  returned 
as  killed  and  wounded  of  this  regiment.  Colonel 
Little  is  mentioned  as  behaving  with  spirit.  He 
marched  his  command  through  two  regiments  who 
were  afraid  to  advance,  and  covered  the  retreat. 
"Two  men  were  killed,  one  on  each  side  of  him  ; 
and  he  came  to  the  camp  all  bespattered  with 
blood."  Depositions  state  that  Isaac  Smith  was  lieu- 
tenant-colonel ;  Collins,  major ;  and  Stephen 

Jenkins,  adjutant.  The  accounts  of  this  regiment 
are  very  confused. 

Ephraim  Doolittle's  regiment  was  commissioned 
June  12,  when  a  return  names  only  seven  com- 
panies. The  colonel  and  lieutenant-colonel  were 
abseni  on  the  day  of  the  battle,  and  Major  Willard 
Moore  led  on,  it  is  stated,  three  hundred  of  its  men. 
Few  details  are  preserved  of  the  service  of  this  regi- 
ment, or  of  the  conduct  of  its  officers.    The  deposi- 


8i:  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER   UILL. 

tions  speak  in  glowing  terms  of  the  good  qualities 
of  Major  Moore.  He  was  a  firm  patriot,  and  a  gen- 
erous and  chivalrous  soldier.  On  the  second  attack 
he  received  a  ball  in  the  thigh,  and  wliile  his  men 
were  carrying  him  to  the  rear  another  ball  went 
througli  his  body.  He  called  for  water,  but  none 
could  be  obtained  nearer  than  the  Neck.  He  lin- 
gered until  the  time  of  the  retreat,  when,  feeling 
his  wounds  to  be  mortal,  he  requested  his  attend- 
ants to  lay  him  down,  leave  him,  and  take  care  of 
themselves.  He  met  with  a  soldier's  death.  He 
was  from  Paxton.  He  took  a  prominent  part  in 
the  Worcester  Convention  in  September,  1774 ; 
Avas  chosen  captain  of  the  minute-men  January  17, 
1775  ;  and  on  the  Lexington  alarm  immediately 
marched  for  Cambridge.  Few  notices  appear  of 
individuals  of  this  regiment.  Robert  Steele,  a 
drummer,  stated  in  1825  that  he  "  beat  to  '  Yankee 
Doodle '  when  he  mustered  for  Bunker  Hill  on  the 
morning  of  the  17*th  of  June,  1775." 

Samuel  Gerrish's  regiment,  about  which  so  much 
has  been  written,  was  neither  full  nor  commissioned. 
On  the  19th  of  May  it  was  reported  to  be  complete  ; 
but  there  were  difficulties  in  relation  to  six  of  the 
companies,  which  were  investigated  June  2.  Four 
companies  Avere  in  commission  June  17,  and  four 
more  were  commissioned  June  22.  Depositions 
station,  June  IG,  three  companies  at  Chelsea,  three 
at  Cambridge,  and  two  at  Sewall's  Point.     At  a 


NOTICES   OF   TUE   OFFICERS.  85 

meeting  of  eight  captains  of  this  regiment,  June 
16,  at  Chelsea,  Loanimi  Baldwin  was  chosen  lieu- 
tenant-colonel, Richard  Dodge,  major.  Christian 
Febiger  was  adjutant,  Michael  Farley  Avas  quarter- 
master, and  David  Jones,  surgeon.  The  conduct 
of  the  colonel  of  this  regiment  became  the  occasion 
of  severe  comment.  A  disparaging  allusion  to  him 
occurs  in  Dr.  Church's  traitorous  letter,  in  1775  ; 
Wilkinson  stations  him  on  Bunker  Hill,  and  with 
him  all  the  re-enforcements  that  came  on  after 
Stark  passed  to  the  rail-fence  ;  the  revolutionary 
depositions  are  equally  severe.  A  letter  says : 
"  Major  Gerrish  no  sooner  came  in  sight  of  the 
enemy  than  a  tremor  seized  him,  and  he  began  to 
bellow,  '  Rutreat !  retreat !  or  you'll  all  be  cut  off.'  " 
In  some  of  the  statements,  the  whole  regiment  is 
also  included.  This,  however,  does  gross  injustice 
to  a  part  of  it,  if  not  to  the  whole  of  it.  Part  of  it 
went  on,  under  its  gallant  adjutant,  Febiger,  and 
did  good  service.  Of  Colonel  Gerrish's  conduct 
Swett  says :  "  A  complaint  was  lodged  against  him, 
with  Ward,  immediately  after  the  battle,  who  re- 
fused to  notice  it,  on  account' of  the  unorganized 
state  of  the  army.  He  was  stationed  at  Sewall's 
Point,  which  was  fortified  ;  in  a  few  weeks,  a  float- 
ing-battery made  an  attack  on  the'  place,  which  he 
did  not  attempt  to  repel,  observing,  '  The  rascals 
can  do  us  no  harm,  and  it  would  be  a  mere  waste 
of  powder  to  fire  at  them  with  our  four-pounders.' 


86  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

It  was  evenii)g,  the  lights  were  exthiguished,  and 
all  the  British  balls  flew  wide  of  the  fort.  For  his 
conduct  on  this  occasion,  and  at  Bunker  Hill,  he 
was  arrested  immediately,  tried,  found  guilty  of 
'conduct  unworth}'  an  officer,'  and  cashiered." 
This  was  August  19,  1775.  It  was  thought  by 
the  judge-advocate  of  the  court  that  he  was  treated 
far  too  severely. 

Adjutant  Christian  Febiger  behaved  with  great 
gallantry  in  leading  on  a  portion  of  this  regiment 
in  time  to  do  efficient  service.  He  was  a  Danish 
lieutenant,  and  enlisted  April  28.  He  afterwards 
went  with  Arnold  to  Quebec,  where  he  behaved 
with  the  resolution'  and  intrepidity  of  a  veteran, 
and  gave  many  proofs  of  great  military  abilities. 
He  was  taken  prisoner  in  the  attack.  He  subse- 
quently rose  to  the  rank  of  colonel,  and  distin- 
gui.ihed  himself  at  the  memorable  storming  of 
Stony  Point,  in  1779,  where  he  led  a  column  by 
the  side  of  General  Wa3me. 

Thomas  Gardner's  regiment,  of  Middlesex,  was 
commissioned  on  the  2d  of  June.  William  Bond 
was  lieutenant-colonel,  and  Michael  Jackson  was 
major.  After  the  British  landed,  this  regiment 
was  stationed  in  the  road  leading  to  Lechmere's 
Point,  and  late  in  the  day  was  ordered  to  Charles- 
town.  On  arriving  at  Bunker  Hill,  General  Put- 
nam ordered  part  of  it  to  assist  in  throwing  up 
defences  commenced  at  this  place.     One  company 


NOTICES    OF   THE   OFFICERS.  87 

went  to  the  rail-fence.  The  greater  part,  under 
the  lead  of  their  colonel,  on  the  third  attack  ad- 
vanced towards  the  redoubt.  On  the  way.  Colonel 
Gardner  was  struck  by  a  ball,  which  inflicted  a 
mortal  wound.  While  a  party  was  carrying  him 
off,  he  had  an  affecting  interview  with  his  son,  a 
youth  of  nineteen,  who  was  anxious  to  aid  in  bear- 
ing him  from  the  field.  His  heroic  father  prohibited 
him,  and  he  was  borne  on  a  litter  of  rails  over  Win- 
ter Hill.  Here  he  was  overtaken  by  the  retreating 
troops.  He  raised  himself  on  his  rude  couch,  and 
addressed  to  them  cheering  words.  He  lingered 
until  July  3,  when  he  died.  On  the  5th  he  was 
buried  with  the  honors  of  war.  He  was  in  his 
fifty-second  year,  and  had  been  a  member  of  the 
General  Court  and  of  the  Provincial  Congress. 
He  was  a  true  patriot,  a  brave  soldier,  and  an  up- 
right man.  An  obituary  notice  of  him  in  the  "  Es- 
sex Gazette,"  July  13,  1775,  saj^s :  "  From  the  era 
of  our  public  difficulties  he  distinguished  himself 
as  an  ardent  friend  to  the  expiring  liberties  of 
America  ;  and  by  the  unanimous  suffrages  of  his 
townsmen  was  for  some  years  elected  a  member  of 
the  General  Assembly  ;  but  when  the  daring  en- 
croachments of  intruding  despotism  deprived  us 
of  a  constitutional  convention,  and  the  first  law  of 
nature  demanded  a  substitute,  he  was  chosen  one 
of  the  Provincial  Congress,  — in  which  departments 
he  was  vigilant  and  indefatigable  in  defeating  evevy 


88  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL.  ^ 

effort  of  tyranny.  To  promote  tlie  interest  of  his 
country  was  the  delight  of  his  souL  An  inflexible 
zeal  for  freedom  caused  him  to  behold  every  engine 
of  oppression  with  contempt,  horror,  and  aversion." 
He  devoted  to  military  affairs  not  only  a  large  share 
of  his  time,  but  of  his  fortune.  His  private  char- 
acter is  highly  eulogized.  He  was,  "  to  his  fainily, 
kind,  tender,  and  indulgent ;  to  his  friends,  unre- 
served and  sincere  ;  to  the  whole  circle  of  his  ac- 
quaintance, affable,  condescendiug,  and  obliging ; 
while  veneration  for  religion  augmented  the  splen- 
dor of  his  sister  virtues." 

Major  Jackson  had  a  personal  encounter  with  a 
British  officer,  whom  he  killed,  while  he  received 
a  ball  through  his  side.  His  life  was  preserved  by 
his  sword-belt.  He  was  recognized  by  his  antago- 
nist, with  whom  he  had  served  in  former  wars. 

One  of  the  companies  of  this  regiment  —  Cap- 
tain Josiali  Harris's  —  was  raised  in  Charlestown. 
Colonel  Swett  pays  this  company  —  the  last  to 
retreat  —  the  following  compliment :  "  They  were 
fighting  at  their  own  doors,  on  their  own  natal 
soil.  They  were  on  the  extreme  left,  covered  by 
some  loose  stones  thrown  up  on  the  shore  of  the 
Mystic,  during  the  day,  by  order  of  Colonel  Stark. 
At  this  most  important  pass  into  the  country, 
against  which  the  enemy  made  the  most  desperate 
efforts,  like  Leonidas's  band,  they  had  taken  post, 
and  like  them  they  defended  it  till  the  enemy  had 
discovered  another." 


NOTICES   OF  THE    OFFICERS.  89 

General  Ward's  regiment,  of  Worcester,  was 
commissioned  May  23.  Jonathan  Ward  was  lieu- 
tenant-colonel ;  Edward  Barnes,  major ;  Timothy 
Bigelow,  second  major;  James  Hart,  adjutant; 
William  Boyd,  quartermaster.  This  regiment  was 
not  ordered  to  Charlestown  until  late  in  the  after- 
noon, and  halted  on  its  way ;  but  a  detachment 
from  it  pushed  on,  and  arrived  in  season  to  take 
part  in  the  action.  Lieutenant-colonel  Ward,  with 
a  few  men,  reached  the  rail-fence  ;  and  Captains 
Gushing  and  Washburn,  and  another  company, 
fired  upon  the  British  after  the  retreat  commenced 
from  the  redoubt.  The  remainder  of  the  regiment, 
under  Major  Barnes,  retreated  before  it  got  near 
enough  to  engage  the  enemy. 

Jonathan  Brewer's  regiment,  of  Worcester  and 
Middlesex,  consisted,  June  15,  of  three  hundred 
and  ninety-seven  men.  William  Buckminster  was 
lieutenant-colonel,  and  Nathaniel  Cadworth  major, 
—  all  of  whom  did  excellent  duty  in  the  battle. 
On  the  same  day,  the  Committee  of  Safety  rec- 
ommended the  officers  of  this  regiment  to  be 
commissioned,  with  the  exception  of  Captain 
Stebbins,  who  did  not  have  the  requisite  num- 
ber of  men.  Swett  states  that  this  regiment 
went  on  about  three  hundred  strong  ;  revolu- 
tionary depositions  state  one  hundred  and  fifty. 
It  was  stationed  mostly  on  the  diagonal  line 
between  the  breastwork  and  rail-fence.     Few  de- 


90  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

tails  are  given  respecting  Colonel  Brewer,  other 
than  that  he  was  consulted  often  by  Prescott, 
behaved  with  spirit,  and  was  wounded  ;  or  of 
Major  Cud  worth,  —  the  same  Avho  led  the  Sudbury 
minute-men  to  attack  the  British  troops  on  the 
19th  of  April.  Lieutenant-colonel  Buckminster 
acquired  much  reputation  for  bravery  and  pru- 
dence in  the  battle.  Just  before  the  retreat,  he 
received  a  dangerous  wound  from  a  musket-ball 
entering  his  right  shoulder,  and  coming  out  in  the 
middle  of  his  back.  This  made  him  a  cripple  dur- 
ing life.  He  was  much  respected  for  his  sterling 
integrity,  patriotism,  and  goodness  of  heart.  He 
was  born  in  Framingham  in  1786,  removed  in  1757 
to  Barrd,  was  elected  in  1774  to  command  the 
minute-men,  and  after  his  arrival  in  camp  was 
chosen  lieutenant-colonel.     He  died  in  178G. 

John  Nixon's  regiment,  from  ]\Iiddlcsex  and 
Worcester,  was  neither  full  nor  commissioned. 
Only  three  companies  appear  in  a  list  dated  June 
16,  and  their  officers  are  all  that  appear  to  have 
been  in  commission.  Swett  states  that  three  hun- 
dred were  led  on  to  the  field  by  Colonel  Nixon, 
who  behaved  wilh  great  gallantry.  He  was  badly 
wounded,  and  carried  off  the  hill.  A  colored  man, 
Peter  Salem,  it  was  reported,  fired  the  shot  that 
killed  Major  Pitcairn. ' 

Benjamin  II.  Woodbridge's  regiment,  of  Hamp- 
shire, also,  was  not  commissioned,  and  there  are 


NOTICES   OF   THE  OFFTCERS.  91 

few  details  of  it,  or  of  its  officers,  in  the  accounts 
of  the  battle.  A  return,  dated  June  16,  names 
eight  captains,  four  lieutenants,  four  ensigns,  and 
three  hundred  and  sixty-three  men.  Abijah  Brown 
was  lieutenant-colonel,  and  William  Stacy,  major. 
Swett  names  this  regiment,  also,  as  going  on  three 
hundred  strong.  But  in  this  case,  and  in  the  case 
of  Nixon's,  it  is  probably  too  high  an  estimate. 

Asa  Whitcorab's  regiment,  of  Worcester,  had 
but  few  companies  in  the  battle.  One  account,  b}'- 
a  soldier,  states  that  Captain  Benjamin  Hastings, 
belonging  to  it,  led  on  a  company  of  thirty-four, 
and  took  post  at  the  rail-fence.  This  name  does 
not  occur  in  a  return  dated  June  3.  Two  com- 
panies. Captains  Burt's  and  Wilder's,  were  prob- 
ably in  the  battle. 

James  Scammans's  regiment,  from  Maine,  did 
not  advance  nearer  the  battle  than  Bunker  Hill  ; 
and  its  colonel  was  tried  for  disobedience  of  orders, 
but  acquitted.  This  trial  was  printed  at  length  in 
the  "  New  England  Journal "  of  February,  17T6. 
In  a  petition,  dated  November  14,  1776,  he  re- 
quested a  commission  to  raise  a  regiment,  "  being 
willing  to  show  his  country  that  he  was  ready  at 
all  times  to  risk  his  fortune  and  life  in  defence  of 
it."  It  commenced  as  follows :  "  Whereas,  his 
conduct  has  been  called  tn  question  respecting  the 
battle  of  Charlestown,  in  June,  1775,  wherein  the 
dispositions  made  were  such  as  could  render  but 
little  prospect  of  success." 


92  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

John  Mansfield's  regiment  was  ordered  to 
Charlestown,  but  marched  to  Cobble  Hill,  to  pro- 
tect the  detachment  of  artillery,  under  INIajor  Scar- 
borough Gridley.  Colonel  Mansfield  was  tried  for 
"  remissness  and  backwardness  in  the  execution  of 
his  duty,"  sentenced  "to  be  cashiered,  and  ren- 
dered unfit  to  serve  in  the  Continental  Army." 
Swett  remarks  that  he  "  was  obviously  guilty  of 
an  error  only,  arising  from  inexperience." 

Richard  Gridley's  battalion  of  artillery,  notwith- 
standing the  great  exertions  that  had  been  made 
to  complete  it,  was  not  settled  at  the  time  of  the 
battle.  It  consisted  of  ten  companies,  — four  hun- 
dred and  seventeen  men.  In  a  return  dated  June 
16,  Scarborough  Gridley,  son  of  the  colonel,  is 
titled  lieutenant-colonel,  and  William  Burbeck, 
major ;  but  the  Committee  of  Safet}^  of  this  date 
recommended  Congress  to  commission  the  cap- 
tains and  subalterns  of  the  train,  and  William  Bur- 
beck  as  lieutenant-colonel,  Scarborough  Gridley  as 
first  major,  and  David  Mason  as  second  major. 
But  these  ofiicers  were  not  commissioned  until 
June  21,  Avhen  Gridley  was  made  second  major. 
Three  companies  were  in  battle  :  Captain  Grid- 
ley's,  Trevett's,  and  Callender's.  One  other  — 
Captain  Foster's  —  advanced  as  far  as  Bunker  Hill, 
when  it  was  obliged  to  retreat.  Details  of  the 
conduct  of  these  companies  have  been  given.  All 
accounts  agree  that  the  artillery,  in  general,  was 
badly  served. 


NOTICES   OF   TUB   OFFICERS.  93 

Colonel  Richard  Gridlc}-,  the  chief-engineer  of 
the  army,  who  planned  the  works  on  Breed's  Hill, 
Avas  a  veteran  of  the  French  wars,  and  distinguished 
himself  at  the  siege  of  Louisburg.  He  was  taken 
ill  on  the  morning  of  the  17th,  after  the  fatigue  of 
the  night,  and  left  the  hill ;  but  returned  before 
the  action  commenced,  and  fought  until  the  retreat, 
aiding  in  discharging  one  of  the  field-pieces.  He 
was  struck,  near  the  close  of  the  battle,  by  a  ball, 
and  entered  his  sulky  to  be  carried  off;  but,  meet- 
ing with  some  obstruction,  had  but  just  left  it, 
Avhen  the  horse  was  killed,  and  the  sulky  was  rid- 
dled by  the  enemy's  shot.  The  veteran  engineer 
was  active  in  planning  the  fortifications  that  were 
thrown  up  immediately  after  the  battle.  He  re- 
ceived from  the  Provincial  Congress  the  i-ank  of 
major-general ;  and  commissioned,  September  20, 
1775,  to  take  the  command  of  the  artillery  in  the 
Continental  Army.  In  November,  he  was  super- 
seded by  Colonel  Knox.  Washington,  December 
81,  stated  to  Congress  that  no  one  in  the  army  was 
better  qualified  to  be  chief-engineer ;  and  his  ser- 
vices were  again  called  for,  on  the  memorable 
night  when  Dorchester  Heights  were  fortified. 
After  the  British  had  left  Boston,  he  was  intrusted 
with  the  duty  of  again  throwing  up  works  in 
Charlestown,  and  other  points  about  the  harbor. 
He  died  at  Stoughton,  June  21,  1796,  aged  eighty- 
four. 


94  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

Major  Scarborough  Griclley,  who  was  ordered, 
with  additional  artillery  companies  to  Charlestown, 
but  took  post  at  Cobble  Hill  to  fire  at  the  "Glas- 
gow" frigate,  was  tried  by  a  court-martial,  of 
which  General  Greene  was  president.  The  follow- 
ing was  the  sentence,  September  24,  1775  :  "  Major 
Scarborough  Gridlcy,  tried  at  a  late  court-martial, 
whereof  Brigadier-General  Greene  was  president, 
for  'being  deficient  in  his  duty  upon  the  17th  of 
June  last,  the  day  of  the  action  upon  Bunker's 
Hill,'  the  court  find  Major  Scarborough  Gridley 
guilty  of  a  breach  of  orders.  They  do,  therefore, 
dismiss  him  from  the  Massachusetts  service  ;  but, 
on  account  of  his  inexperience  and  youth,  and 
the  great  confusion  that  attended  that  day's  trans- 
actions in  general,  they  do  not  consider  him  in- 
capable of  a  continental  commission,  should  the 
general  officers  recommend  him  to  his  Excellency." 
He  was  a  son  of  Colonel  Gridley ;  and  parental 
partiality  procured  his  appointment  in  preference 
to  that  of  Benjamin  Thompson,  afterwards  the 
celebrated  Count  Rumford.  The  latter  accom- 
panied Major  Brooks  the  last  time  he  was  ordered 
on,  and  met  the  Americans  in  their  retreat. 

Captain  Callender,  for  disobedience  of  orders 
and  alleged  cowardice,  was  tried  June  27,  —  the 
first  of  the  trials  on  account  of  this  battle.  The 
court  sentenced  him  to  be  cashiered  ;  and  Wash- 
ington, in   an  order,  July   7,  declared  him   to  be 


NOTICES    OF   THE   OFFICERS.  95 

"  dismissed  from  all  further  service  in  the  continen- 
tal service  as  an  officer."  But  Callender  despised 
the  charge  of  cowardice  ;  and,  determined  to  wipe 
out  the  unjust  stigma,  continued  in  the  army  as  a 
volunteer.  At  the  battle  of  Long  Island  he  fought 
Avith  such  signal  bravery  that  Washington  ordered 
the  sentence  to  be  erased  from  the  Orderly  Book, 
and  his  commission  to  be  restored  to  him.  He  was 
taken  prisoner  by  the  enemy,  August  27,  1776. 
He  remained  over  a  year  in  the  hands  of  the 
British.  A  touching  petition,  dated  September 
15,  1777,  Avas  addressed  to  the  government  of 
Massachusetts  by  his  wife,  in  his  behalf.  "  Your 
petitioner,"  it  says,  "  with  four  helpless  infants,  is 
now,  through  the  distress  of  a  kind  and  loving 
husband,  a  tender  and  affectionate  parent,  reduced 
to  a  state  of  misery  and  wretchedness  and  want 
truly  pitiable."  Her  devotion  had  found  a  way 
of  relief,  by  an  exchange,  and  it  Avas  successful. 
Swett  states  that  this  brave  soldier  left  the  service 
at  the  peace  with  the  highest  'honor  and  reputa- 
tion. 

Captain  S.  R.  Trevett's  gallantry  and  persever- 
ance rescued  the  only  field-piece  saved  of  the  six 
taken  to  the  field.     He  lived  to  an  advanced  age. 

The  New  Hampshire  troops  consisted  of  the 
regiments  of  Colonels  Stark  and  Reed,  and  one 
company,  Reuben  Dow's,  in  Prescott's  regiment. 
They  fought  Avith  great  bravery. 


96  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  BILL. 

Colonel  John  Stark's  regiment  was  large  and 
full.  There  is  no  return,  however,  specifying  the 
number  of  men,  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of 
State  of  New  Hampshire.  In  the  roll,  Isaac  Wyman 
is  named  lieutenant-colonel ;  Andrew  McClary, 
major  (though  the  records  of  the  Congress  state 
that  he  was  appointed  major  of  the  3d,  or  Poor's, 
regiment)  ;  Abiel  Chandler,  adjutant ;  John  Cald- 
well, quartermaster ;  David  Osgood,  chaplain ; 
Obadiah  Williams,  surgeon  :  Samuel  McClintock, 
chaplain. 

Colonel  Stark,  afterwards  the  hero  of  Benning- 
ton, behaved  with  his  characteristic  bravery.  After 
he  had  detached,  early  in  the  morning,  a  third  of 
his  men,  it  is  said  he  visited  the  redoubt  in  com- 
pany with  his  major,  when  he  found  his  men  in 
the  Hollow  between  Winter  and  Ploughed  Hills. 
On  leading  the  troops  into  action,  he  made  a 
spirited  address,  and  ordered  three  cheers  to  be 
given.  By  his  order,  also,  the  stones  on  the  beach 
of  Mystic  River  were  thrown  up  in  the  form  of  a 
breastwork.  These  are  nearly  all  the  particulars 
relating  to  his  conduct  that  have  been  stated. 
But  all  accounts  speak  of  his  coolness  and  intre- 
pidity. 

When  the  order  was  received  for  the  remainder 
of  this  regiment  to  march  to  Bunker  Hill,  it  Avas 
paraded  in  front  of  a  house  used  as  an  arsenal, 
where  each  man  received  a  gill  cup  full  of  powder, 


NOTICES    OF   THE   OFFICERS.  97 

fifteen  balls,  and  one  flint.  After  this  the  car- 
tridges were  to  he  made  up,  and  this  occasioned 
much  delay.  Hence  the  regiment  did  not  get  to 
(he  hill  until  about  two  o'clock. 

The  major  of  this  regiment,  Andrew  McClary, 
was  a  favorite  officer.  He  was  nearly  six  feet  and 
a  half  in  height,  and  of  an  athletic  frame.  During 
the  action  he  fought  with  great  bravery ;  and, 
amidst  the  roar  of  the  artiller}',  his  stentorian  voice 
was  heard  animating  the  men  and  inspiring  them 
with  his  own  energy.  After  the  action  was  over, 
he  rode  to  Medford  to  procure  bandages  for  the 
wounded ;  and,  on  his  return,  went  with  a  few  of 
his  comrades  to  reconnoitre  the  British,  then  on 
Bunker  Hill.  As  he  was  on  his  way  to  join  his 
men,  a  shot  from  a  frigate  lying  where  Craigie's 
Bridge  is  passed  through  his  body.  He  leaped  a 
few  feet  from  the  ground,  pitched  forward,  and  fell 
dead  on  his  face.  He  was  carried  to  ]\Iedford,  and 
interred  with  the  honors  of  war.  He  was,  General 
Dearborn  writes,  a  brave,  great,  and  good  man.  A 
[spirited  notice  of  him  appeared  in  the  New  Hamp- 
shire "Gazette,"  dated  Epsom,  Jul}-,  1775.  It 
says :  "  The  Major  discovered  great  intrepidity  and 
presence  of  mind  in  the  action,  and  his  noble  soul 
glowed  with  ardor  and  the  love  of  his  country ; 
and,  like  the  Roman  Camillus,  who  left  his  plough, 
commanded  the  army,  and  conquered  his  oppo- 
nents, so  the  Major,  upon  the  first  intelligence  of 

7 


98  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

hostilities  at  Concord,  left  his  farm  and  went  a 
volunteer  to  assist  his  suffering  brethren,  where  he 
was  soon  calhd  to  a  command,  which  he  executed 
to  his  eternal  honor,  and  has  thereby  acquired  the 
reputation  of  a  brave  officer  and  a  disinterested 
patriot ;  and  may  his  name  be  held  in  respect  by 
all  the  lovers  of  liberty  to  the  end  of  time,  while 
the  names  of  the  sons  of  tyranny  are  despised  and 
disgraced,  and  nothing  left  to  them  but  the  badges 
of  their  perfidy  and  infamy !  May  the  widow  of 
the  deceased  be  respected  for  his  sake  ;  and  may 
his  children  inherit  his  spirit  and  bravery,  but  not 
meet  with  his  fate  !  " 

Captain  Henry  Dearborn,  who  afterwards  be- 
came so  distinguished  in  the  history  of  the  country, 
both  in  civil  and  military  capacities,  commanded 
one  of  the  companies  of  this  regiment,  and  has  sup- 
plied an  account  of  the  action  full  of  interesting 
details. 

The  chaplain  of  the  regiment,  Dr.  McClintock, 
was  in  the  battle,  animating  the  men  by  his  exhor- 
tations, prayers,  and  intrepidity. 

James  Reed's  regiment,  consisting,  June  14,  of 
four  hundred  and  eighty-six  rank  and  file,  was 
stationed  at  Charlestown  Neck.  Israel  Oilman  was 
lieutenant-colonel ;  Nathan  Hale,  major  ;  Stephen 
Peabody,  adjutant ;  Isaac  Frye,  quartermaster ; 
Ezra  Green,  surgeon.  Few  details  have  been  pre- 
served of  the  service  of  this  regiment.      Colonel 


NOTICES  OF   THE   OFFICERS.  99 

Reed  was,  Colonel  Swett  remarks,  "  a  highly  re- 
spectable ofiScer,  and  served  at  Ticonderoga  in 
ITTG.  His  letters  to  the  New  Hampshire  Congress 
bear  evidence  of  a  patriotic  spirit,  Avhile  his  orders 
to  his  regiment  evince  a  good  disciplinarian.  No 
special  mention  appears  of  him  in  the  accounts  of 
the  battle.  General  Folsom,  however,  in  writing- 
of  the  gallantry  of  the  New  Hampshire  troops, 
makes  no  discrimination.  Adjutant  Peabody  be- 
haved, General  Sullivan  writes,  with  great  courage 
and  intrepidity.  "William  Lee,  first  orderly  ser- 
geant of  Spaulding's  company,  "  not  only  fought 
well  himself,"  say  the  officers  and  men  of  this 
company,  in  a  petition  to  Washington,  August  10, 
1775,  "  but  gave  good  advice  to  the  men  to  place 
themselves  in  right  order,  and  to  stand  their  ground 
well." 

The  Connecticut  forces  at  Cambridge  were  under 
the  command  of  General  Putnam.  His  regiment 
Avas  full,  containing  ten  companies.  Experience 
Storrs  was  his  lieutenant-colonel,  John  Durkee  his 
first  major,  and  Obadiah  Johnson  his  second  major. 
A  letter  dated  June  20,  1775,  states  that  the  whole 
of  tliis  regiment,  excepting  Captain  Mosely's  com- 
pany, was  in  the  action.  Two  companies  that  ap- 
pear in  the  returns  as  belonging  to  General  Spencer's 
regiment  Avere  certainly  in  the  battle,  —  Chester's 
and  Coit's.  Chester  states  that,  "by  orders  from 
head-quarters,  one    subaltern,   one   sergeant,   and 


100  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

thirty  privates  were  drafted  out  overnight  to  in- 
trench, from  his  company."  ,  Captain  Clark,  in  a 
letter,  June  17,  1818,  says  he  received  orders  from 
General  Putnam  "  to  detach  one  ensign,  with 
twenty-eight  men,"  to  march  early  in  the  evening 
of  the  16th  of  June.  Drafts  were  made  from  Put- 
nam's and  Knowl ton's  company,  and  probabl}^  from 
one  other.  No  order  for  more  of  the  Connecticut 
forces  to  go  on  appears  to  have  been  given,  until 
General  Putnam  gave  it,  after  the  British  landed, 
about  noon,  on  the  17th. 

The  conduct  of  the  Connecticut  troops  is  men- 
tioned in  terms  of  high  commendation  in  the  private 
letters  and  the  journals  of  the  time.  Major  Dur- 
kee.  Captains  Knowlton,  Chester,  Coit,  Lieuten- 
ants Dana,  Hide,  Grosvenor,  Webb,  Bingham,  and 
Keyes,  are  specially  named  as  deserving  of  credit. 
One  letter  states  that  the  officers  and  soldiers 
under  the  command  of  Major  Durkee,  Captains 
Knowlton,  Coit,  Clark,  and  Chester,  and  all  the 
Connecticut  troops  ordered  up,  and  some  from  this 
province,  did  honor  to  themselves  and  the  cause  of 
their  country.  An  article  printed  directly  after 
the  battle  in  the  Connecticut  "•  Courant "  says: 
"  Captain  Chester  and  Lieutenant  Webb,  who 
marched  up  to  the  lines  and  re-enforced  the  troops, 
by  their  undaunted  behavior,  timely  and  vigorous 
assistance,  it  is  universally  agreed,  are  justly  en- 
tled   to    the   grateful   acknowledgments   of    their 


NOTICES   OF   THE   OFFICERS.  101 

country."  They  went  on  near  the  close  of  the 
battle.  In  a  letter  dated  July  11,  1775,  and  ad- 
dressed to  Silas  Dean,  Lieutenant  Webb  gives  a 
vivid  idea  both  of  the  hotness  of  the  fire  and  of 
the  desperate  nature  of  the  hand-to-hand  contests 
of  the  day.  "  For  n\j  part,  I  confess,"  he  writes, 
"  when  I  was  descending  into  the  valle}^  from  off 
Bunker  Hill,  side  by  side  of  Captain  Chester,  at 
the  head  of  our  company,  I  had  no  more  thought 
of  ever  rising  the  hill  again,  than  I  had  of  ascend- 
ing to  heaven,  as  Elijah  did,  soul  and  body  together. 
But  after  we  got  engaged,  to  see  the  dead  and 
wounded  around  me,  I  had  no  other  feeling  but 
that  of  revenge.  Four  men  were  shot  dead  within 
five  feet  of  me,  but,  thank  Heaven,  I  escaped,  with 
only  the  graze  of  a  musket-ball  on  my  hat.  I  think 
it  my  duty  to  tell  you  of  the  bravery  of  one  of  our 
company.  Edward  Brown  stood  side  by  side  with 
Gershom  Smith  in  the  intrenchments.  Brown 
saw  his  danger,  —  discharged  his  own  and  Smith's 
gun  when  they  came  so  close  as  to  push  over  our 
small  breastwork.  Brown  sprang,  seized  a  regu- 
lar's gun,  took  it  from  him,  and  killed  him  on  the 
spot ;  brought  off  the  gun  in  triumph,  and  has  it 
now  by  him.  In  this  engagement  we  lost  four 
brave  men,  and  four  wounded." 

The  conduct  of  Captain  Thomas  Knowlton  elic- 
ited high  praise.  He  commenced  the  construction 
of  the  rail-fence  protection,  and  fought  here  with 


102  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

admirable  bravery  and  conduct,  until  the  retreat. 
He  received  from  a  Bostonian  a  gold-laced  hat,  a 
sash,  and  gold  breastplate,  for  his  behavior  in  this 
battle.  Soon  after,  he  was  promoted  ;  and  while 
major,  he  made,  January  8,  1776,  a  daring  and 
successful  excursion  into  Charlestown,  to  burn 
several  houses  used  by  the  British ;  and  as  lieu- 
tenant-colonel, was  the  confidant  of  Washington 
in  the  enterprise  of  the  memorable  Nathan  Hale. 
On  the  16th  of  September,  1776,  while  exhibiting 
his  usual  intrepidity,  he  was  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Harlem  Heights.  Washington,  in  the  general  or- 
ders, after  alluding  to  his  gallantry  and  bravery, 
and  his  fall  while  "  gloriously  fighting,"  said  he 
"  would  have  been  an  honor  to  any  country."  He 
was  about  thirty-six  when  he  was  killed.  On  his 
fall  a  brother  officer  gave  the  following  impromptu 
lines,  printed  at  the  time :  — 

"  Here  Ivnowlton  lies,  —  the  great,  the  good,  the  brave  : 
Slain  in  the  field,  now  triumphs  in  the  grave. 
The  valiant  often  die  in  martial  strife  ; 
The  coward  lives  :  his  punishment  is  life." 

General  Ward  expressed  his  thanks  to  the  troops 
engaged  in  this  battle,  in  the  following  order,  of 
June  24:  "The  General  orders  his  thanks  to  be 
given  to  those  officers  and  soldiers  who  behaved 
so  gallantly  at  the  late  action  in  Charlestown. 
Such  bravery  gives  the  General  sensible  pleasure, 


NUMBERS  ENGAGED.  103 

as  he  is  thereby  fully  satisfied  that  we  shall  finally 
come  off  victorious,  and  triumph  over  the  enemies 
of  freedom  and  America." 

So  conflicting  are  the  authorities,  that  the  num- 
ber of  troops  engaged,  on  either  side,  cannot  be 
precisely  ascertained.  "  The  number  of  the  xA.mer- 
icans  during  the  battle,"  Colonel  Swett  says,  "  was 
fluctuating,  but  may  be  fairly  estimated  at  three 
thousand  five  hundred,  who  joined  in  the  battle, 
and  five  hundred  more,  who  covered  the  retreat." 
General  Putnam's  estimate  was  two  thousand  two 
hundred.  General  Washington  says  the  number 
engaged,  at  any  one  time,  was  one  thousand  five 
hundred ;  and  this  was  adopted  by  Dr.  Gordon. 
This  is  as  near  accuracy  as  can  be  arrived  at. 
General  Gage,  in  his  official  account,  states  the 
British  force  at  "something  over  two  thousand;" 
and  yet  the  same  account  acknowledges  one  thou- 
sand and  fifty-four  killed  and  Avounded.  This 
certainly  indicates  a  force  far  larger  than  two 
thousand.  Neither  British  accounts  nor  the  Brit- 
ish plans  of  the  battle  mention  all  the  regiments 
that  were  in  the  field.  Thus  the  movements  of 
the  second  battalion  of  marines  are  not  given  ;  yet 
the  official  table  of  loss  states  that  it  had  seven 
killed  and  thirty  wounded  ;  and  Clarke,  also,  states 
it  was  not  until  after  the  Americans  had  retreated 
that  General  Gage  sent  over  this  second  battalion, 
with  four  regiments  of  foot,  and  a  company  of  ar- 


104  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

tilleiy.  Americans,  who  counted  the  troops  as 
they  left  the  wharves  in  Boston,  state  that  five 
thousand  went  over  to  Charlestown  ;  but,  probably, 
not  even  four  thousand  were  actually  engaged. 

Statements  were  made  as  to  the  numbers  en- 
gaged, in  a  debate  in  the  House  of  Commons, 
December  7,  1775.  The  Lord  Mayor  —  Mr.  Saw- 
bridge  —  said  it  had  been  very  fashionable,  both 
within  and  without  doors,  to  stigmatize  the  Amer- 
icans as  cowards  and  poltroons,  but  he  believed 
the  truth  would  be  found  on  the  other  side  ;  for 
he  was  Avell  informed  that  the  king's  troops,  in  the 
action  of  Bunker's  Hill,  consisted  of  twenty-five 
hundred  men,  and  the  provincials  not  quite  fifteen 
hundred  ;  and  even  those  fifteen  hundred  would 
have  completely  defeated  the  king's  troops,  if  their 
ammunition  had  not  been  totally  spent.  Lord 
North  said,  he  was  but  an  indifferent  judge  of 
military  operations  ;  but,  by  the  best  accounts  he 
could  obtain,  the  provincials  were,  at  least,  three 
to  one,  and  were,  besides,  very  strongly  intrenched. 
He  estimated  the  number  of  Americans  at  eight 
thousand,  at  least.  Colonel  Morris  estimated  the 
Americans  at  five  thousand,  and  the  British  at 
twenty -five  hundred. 

The  time  the  battle  lasted  is  variously  stated; 
some  accounts  state  four  hours,  but  they  include 
the  heavy  fire  of  artillery  that  covered  the  landing. 
The    Committee    of   Safety  (MS.)  account   says : 


NUMBERS  ENGAGED.  105 

"The  time  the  engagement  hxsted,  from  the  first 
fire  of  the  musketry  till  the  last,  Avas  exactly  one 
hour  and  a  half."'  The  losses  of  individuals  in  the 
battle  were  allowed  by  the  colonies,  and  there  are 
hundreds  of  petitions  from  the  soldiers  in  it.  They 
often  state  the  number  of  times  the  petitioner  dis- 
charged his  musket.  Thus,  one  says:  "He  dis- 
charged his  piece  more  than  thirty  times,  within 
fair  gun-shot,  and  he  is  confident  he  did  not  dis- 
charge it  in  vain."  Another  says:  "He  had  an 
opportunity  of  firing  seventeen  times  at  our  un- 
natural enemies,  Avhich  he  cheerfully  improved, 
being  a  marksman."  Several  letters  unite  in  stat- 
ing the  time  of  the  action  at  one  hour  and  a  half. 
The  general  battle,  with  small  arms,  began  about 
half-past  three,  and  ended  about  five. 

No  mention  is  made  of  colors  being  used  on 
either  side.  At  one  of  the  patriotic  celebrations  of 
1825,  a  flag  was  borne  which  was  said  to  have 
been  unfurled  at  Bunker  Hill ;  and  tradition  states 
that  one  was  hoisted  at  the  redoubt,  and  that  Gage 
and  his  officers  were  puzzled  to  read  by  their  glasses 
its  motto.  A  whig  told  them  it  was  —  "  Come  if 
you  dare  !  "  In  the  eulogj^  on  Warren  is  the  fol- 
lowing, in  a  description  of  the  astonishment  of  the 
British  on  seeing  the  redoubt :  — 

♦'  Soon  as  Aurora  gave  the  golden  day, 
And  drove  the  sable  shades  of  night  away, 
Columbia's  troops  are  seen  in  dread  array, 
And  waving  streamers  in  the  air  display." 


106 


BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 


In  a  MS.  plan  of  the  battle,  colors  are  represented 
in  the  centre  of  each  British  regiment. 

The  following  is  the  record  in  General  Ward's 
Orderly  Book  —  the  only  reference  to  the  battle  it 
contains — of  the  loss  of  the  Americans:  "  Jnne 
17.  The  battle  of  Charlestown  was  fought  this 
day.  Killed,  one  hundred  and  fifteen  ;  wounded, 
three  hundred  and  five  ;  captured,  thirty.  Total, 
four  hundred  and  fifty."  They  also  lost  five  pieces 
of  cannon  out  of  six,  and  a  large  quantity  of  in- 
trenching tools.  The  following  table  shows  the 
loss  sustained  by  each  regiment,  and  presents  a 
somewhat  different  result:  — 


Killed. 

Wounded. 

Killed. 

Wounded 

Prescott's   .     . 

42 

.     28 

Ward's  .     .     .       1     . 

.       6 

Bridge's      .     . 

15 

.     29 

Scatumans's   .      0     . 

.      2 

Frye's    .     .     . 

15 

.     31 

Gerrisli's     .     .       3     . 

.      2 

Brewer's    .     . 

7 

.     11 

Whitcomb's    .       5     . 

.      8 

Little's  .     .     . 

7 

.     23 

Stark's  ...     15     . 

.    45 

Gardner's  .     . 

6 

.      7 

Reed's    ...       5     . 

.     21 

Kixon's       .     . 

3 

.     10 

Putnam  &  Coit's 

Woodbridge's 

.     1 

.      5 

Co.      ...     11     . 

.    26 

Doolittle's  .     . 

0 

.       9 

Chester's  Co.        4    . 

.      4 

Gridley's     .     . 

0 

.      4 

Killed,  140;  wounded,  271;  captured,  30. 


The  following  list  of  prisoners  taken  by  the 
British,  June  17,  appeared  in  the  journals  of  Sep- 
tember, 1775 :  — 


NUMBERS  ENGAGED.  107 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Parker  .     .     Chelmsford  ....  Dead. 

Captain  Benjamin  Walker  .     .     Chelmsford  ....  , 

Lieutenant  Amaziah  Fausett    .     Groton ,. 

Lieutenant  William  Scott    .     .     Peterborough    .     .     .  Alive. 

Sergeant  Robert  Phelps       .     .     Lancaster      ....  Dead. 

Phineas  Nevers Windsor „ 

Oliver  Stevens Townsend     ....  „ 

Daniel  McGrath Unknown      ....  „ 

John  Perkins New  Rutland     .     .     .  Alive. 

Jacob  Frost Tewksbury  ....  „ 

Amasa  Fisk Pepperell  .....  Dead. 

Daniel  Sessions Andover Alive. 

Jonathan  Norton Newburyport     ...  „ 

Philip  Johnson  Beck    ....     Boston  —  Mansfield   .  ,, 

Benjamin  Bigelow Peckerfield   ....  „ 

Benjamin  Wilson Billerica , 

Archibald  Mcintosh    ....     Townsend     ....  Dead. 

David  Kemp Groton „ 

Jolin  Deland Charlestown      .     .     .  Alive. 

Lawrence  Sullivan       ....     Wetliersfield      ...  „ 
Timothy  Kettell  (a  lad)  .     .     .     Dismissed  Charlestown. 

William  Robinson        ....     Unknown      ....  Dead. 

Benjamin  Ross Ashford,  Conn.      .     .  „ 

John  Dillon Jersey,  Old  England  ,, 

One  unknown „ 

William  Kench Peckerfield  ....  „ 

James  Dodge Edinburgh,  Scotland  „ 

William  Robinson Connecticut       ...  „ 

John  Lord Unknown      ....  „ 

James  Milliken Boston „ 

Stephen  Foster Groton „ 

Total;  —  20  dead,  10  alive,  1  dismissed. 

Some  of  the  dead  were  buried  on  the  field  of  bat- 
tle. One  deposit  appears  to  have  been  a  trench 
near  the  line  of  the  almshouse  estate,  running  par- 


108  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER   HILL. 

allel  Avith  Elm  Street.  Here  a  large  number  of 
American  buttons  have  been  found  attached  to 
bones.  Americans  were  buried  in  other  places  in 
Charlestown,  which  are  known  from  similar  cir- 
cumstances. The  wounded  were  carried  to  the 
western  side  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  then  to  Cam- 
bridge. Doctors  Thomas  Kittredge,  William  Eustis, 
—  afterwards  governor, — Walter  Plastings,  Thomas 
Welsh,  Isaac  Foster,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Bricket, 
David  Townsend,  and  John  Hart,  were  in  attend- 
ance. The  house  of  Governor  Oliver,  in  Cambridge, 
known  as  the  Gerry  estate,  was  occupied  as  a  hos- 
pital. Many  of  the  soldiers  who  died  of  their 
wounds  were  buried  in  a  fi^lJ  in  front  of  this  house. 
Rev.  Samuel  Cook's  house,  at  West  Cambridge, 
was  also  used  for  a  hospital.  The  prisoners  were 
carried  to  Boston  jail. 

The  loss  of  the  British  was  admitted,  in  the 
official  account,  to  have  been  tAvo  hundred  and 
twenty-six  killed,  eight  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
wounded;  total,  one  thousand  and  fifty-four.  But 
the  Americans  set  it  as  high  as  fifteen  hundred. 
The  wounded,  during  the  whole  night  and  the 
next  day,  were  conveyed  to  Boston,  where  the 
streets  were  filled  with  groans  and  lamentation. 

A  lady  in  Boston  wrote  to  her  brother,  Sunday, 
June  18 :  — 

"  Once  more  at  my  pen.  I  can  scarcely  compose 
myself  enough  for  any  thing,  nor  will  you  wonder. 


NUMBERS  ENGAGED.  109 

when  you  know  the  situation  we  are  in  at  present. 
Yesterday  another  battle  fought.  Charlestown  the 
scene  of  action.  They  began  early  in  the  morning, 
and  continued  all  day  fighting.  In  the  afternoon 
they  set  fire  to  the  town,  and  it  is  now  wholly  laid 
in  ashes.  We  could  view  this  melancholy  sight 
from  the  top  of  our  house.  One  poor  man  went 
on  the  top  of  the  meeting-house  to  see  the  battle. 
Was  not  able  to  get  down  again,  but  perished  in 
the  flames.  About  five  in  the  afternoon  they  be- 
gan to  send  home  their  wounded.  Here,  my  dear 
brother,  was  a  scene  of  woe  indeed.  To  see  such 
numbers  as  passed  by  must  have  moved  the  hard- 
est heart.  Judge,  then,  the  foelmgs  of  your  sister. 
Some  without  noses,  some  with  but  one  eye,  broken 
.legs,  and  arms,  some  limping  along,  scarcely  able 
to  reach  the  hospital ;  while  others  were  brought 
in  wagons,  chaise,  coaches,  sedans,  and  beds,  on 
men's  shoulders.  The  poor  women  wringing  their 
hands,  and  crying  most  pitifully,  —  all  excepting 
one,  who,  on  seeing  her  husband  in  a  cart  badly 
wounded,  vowed  revenge,  went  off,  but  soon  re- 
turned completely  equipped,  with  her  gun  on  her 
shoulder,  her  knapsack  at  her  back,  marched  down 
the  street,  and  left  the  poor  husband,  to  try  how 
many  she  could  send  along  to  tell  he  was  coming. 
There  is  a  vast  number  of  our  men  killed  and 
wounded;  a  great  many  officers,  too,  arc  sent  to 
their  loner  homes.    Amongst  the  rest,  one  fine-look- 


110  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  II ILL. 

ing  man,  much  about  3our  age,  Avho  stopped  against 
our  windows  to  have  his  leg,  which  was  shpping, 
moved  a  little.  He  lived  till  this  morning.  The 
poor  fellow  came  ashore  but  yesterday  or  the  day 
before  ;  perhaps  his  mother's  darling  and  his  father's 
joy,  —  cut  off  in  the  midst  of  his  days  ;  his  sisters, 
too,  if  he  had  any,  must  weep  his  untimely  fate. 
Hope  it  will  never  be  my  lot  to  have  any  of  my 
near  connections  follow  the  army." 

A  letter,  June  80,  1775,  sa3's  ;  "  I  have  seen  many 
from  Boston  who  were  eye-witnesses  to  the  most 
melancholy  scene  ever  beheld  in  this  part  of  the 
world.  The  Saturday  night  and  Sabbath  were 
taken  up  in  carrying  over  the  dead  and  wounded ; 
and  all  the  wood-carts  in  town,  it  is  said,  were 
employed,  —  chaises  and  coaches  for  the  officers. , 
They  have  taken  the  workhouse,  almshouse,  and 
manufactory-house,  for  the  wounded."  The  phy- 
sicians, surgeons,  and  apothecaries  of  Boston  ren- 
dered ever}^  assistance  in  their  power.  The 
processions  were  melancholy  sights.  "  In  the  first 
carriage,"  writes  Ckirke,  "  was  Major  Williams, 
bleeding  and  dying,  and  three  dead  captains  of  the 
52d  Begiment.  In  the  second,  four  dead  officers; 
then  another,  with  wounded  officers."  The  pri- 
vates who  died  on  the  field  were  immediately 
buried  there,  —  "in  holes,"  Gage's  report  states. 
Collections  of  bones  have  been  occasionally  found 
on  the  east  side  of  Breed's  Hill,  in  digging  wells  or 


NUMBERS  ENGAGED.  Ill 

cellars,  having  attached  to  them  buttons,  with  the 
numbers  of  the  different  regiments.  "  On  jMonday 
morning,"  a  British  account  says,  "  all  the  dead 
officers  were  decently  buried  in  Boston,  in  a  pri- 
vate manner,  in  the  different  churches  and  church- 
yards tliere." 

A  large  proportion  of  the  killed  were  officers, 
and  among  them  some  highl}'  distinguished.  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Abercrombie,  at  the  head  of  the 
grenadiers,  was  shot  wliile  storming  the  works. 
He  was  a  brave  and  noble-hearted  soldier ;  and 
when  the  men  were  bearing  him  from  the  field,  he 
begged  them  to  spare  his  old  friend  Putnam.  "■  If 
you  take  General  Putnam  alive,"  he  said,  "  don't 
hano;  him  :  for  he's  a  brave  man."  He  died  on  the 
24th  of  June. 

Major  Pitcairn,  the  commander  of  the  marines, 
was  widely,  known  in  the  country  from  his  connec- 
tion with  the  events  of  the  19th  of  April,  and 
many  of  the  Americans  claim  the  honor  of  having 
killed  him  in  this  battle.  Dr.  John  Eliot  wrote  in 
his  almanac  the  following  account  of  his  fall: 
"  This  amiable  and  gallant  officer  was  slain  enter- 
ino-  the  intrenchments.  He  had  been  wounded 
twice ;  then  putting  himself  at  the  head  of  his 
forces,  he  faced  danger,  calling  out,  '  Now  for  the 
glory  of  the  marines  ! '  He  received  four  balls  in 
his  body."  He  was  much  beloved  by  his  com- 
mand.    "  I  have  lost  my  father,"  his  son  exclaimed. 


112  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

as  he  fell.  "  We  have  all  lost  a  father,"  was  the 
echo  of  the  regiment.  His  son  bore  him  to  a  boat, 
and  then  to  a  house  in  Prince  Street,  Boston,  where 
he  was  attended  by  a  physician,  at  the  sjiecial 
request  of  General  Gage,  but  soon  died.  He  was 
a  courteous  and  accomplished  officer,  and  an  exem- 
plary man.     His  son  was  soon  promoted. 

Major  Spendlove,  of  the  4Cd  Regiment,  an- 
other distinguished  officer,  died  of  his  wounds. 
He  had  served  with  unblemished  reputation  up- 
wards of  forty  3^ears  in  the  same  regiment,  and 
been  three  times  wounded,  —  once  when  Avith 
Wolfe  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  again  at  the 
reduction  of  Martinico,  and  at  the  capture  of 
Havana.  His  conduct  at  the  battle  was  favorably 
mentioned  by  the  commander.  Other  officers  of 
merit  fell.  Captain  Addison,  related  to  the  author 
of  the  "  Spectator,"  and  Captain  Sherwin,  Howe's 
aid-de-camp,  were  killed.  The  slaughter  of  offi 
cers  occasioned  great  astonishment  in  England. 

Of  the  officers  who  acted  as  aids  to  General  Howe, 
all  were  wounded,  and  only  one  of  them.  Lieuten- 
ant Page,  of  the  engineers,  lived  to  reach  Eng- 
land. He  distinguished  himself  at  the  storming  of 
the  redoubt,  and  received  General  Howe's  thanks. 
He  made  an  exact  plan  of  the  battle.  It  is  the 
onl}'  correct  one  engraved  in  England,  and  is  used 
in  this  work.  Many  of  the  Avounded  officers  re- 
turned to  England.     For  many  months  the  British 


NUMBERS  ENGAGED.  113 

journals  contained  notices  of  their  arrival,  and  pres- 
entation at  court.  One  of  them,  selected  as  a 
specimen,  reads  as  follows:  "March  28,  1776. — 
Yesterday  Captain  Cockering,  who  lost  his  arm  at 
Bunker's  Hill,  was  introduced  to  his  Majesty  at  St. 
James's,  by  the  Duke  of  Chandos,  and  graciously 
received  ;  at  the  same  time  his  Majesty  was  pleased 
to  present  him  with  a  captain's  commission  in  a 
company  of  invalids." 

Captain  Ewing,  of  the  marines,  "gallantly  lead- 
ing the  grenadier  company  in  the  thin,  red  line 
which  charged  up  the  hill,''  received  a  wound,  and, 
by  order  of  the  king,  a  medal. 

Captain  Harris,  whose  words  before  the  battle 
have  been  cited,  was  ascending  the  works  for  the 
third  time  when  a  ball  grazed  the  top  of  his  head, 
and  he  fell  into  the  arms  of  Lord  Rawdon.  "  For 
God's  sake,"  he  said,  "  let  me  die  in  peace."  He 
lived  to  become  a  lord. 

Captain  Drew,  of  the  light-infantry,  of  the  35th, 
behaved  gallantly.  Three  shots  took  effect  on  him  ; 
and  he  had  two  contusions.  He  languished  eigh- 
teen weeks,  but  survived.  Baird,  the  third  offi- 
cer, was  killed.  His  dying  words  were  :  "I  wi^^h 
success  to  the  35th :  onlj^  say  I  behaved  as  be- 
came a  soldier."  Drew  says  "  the  company  was 
cut  to  pieces,  to  six  privates,  almost  in  my  sight." 
The  oldest  soldier  led  the  remaining  five  of  this 
company  in  the  pursuit.     The  grenadiers  of  this 

8 


114  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

regiment  equalled  their  brethren  in  gallantry,  and 
were  as  unfortunate.  The  fall  of  Baird  elicited  a 
tribute  to  his  memory,  closing,  — 

"  Thus  like  the  fearless  Theban  he  expired ; 
A  fate  bewailed  j'et  envied  by  the  brave; 
The  muse,  with  tender  sympatliy  inspired, 
Tims  pours  her  sorrows  o'er  his  silent  grave. 

Nor  you,  ye  warriors  !  shall  unpraised  remain  : 
Reduced  to  five,  in  sullen  rage  they  stand ; 

Each  generous  leader  wounded  sore  or  slain, 
The  oldest  soldier  led  the  slender  band." 

An  incident  of  a  different  character  is  related  of 
Lieutenant  Lenthal  of  the  23d,  or  Welsh  Fusileers. 
Seeing  that  his  regiment  was  disorganized,  he  took 
refuge  in  a  saw-pit.  A  common  soldier,  belonging 
to  the  same  company,  followed  the  example  of  his 
commanding  officer,  and  both  of  them  escaped  alive. 
Some  years  afterwards,  when  the  Captain  was  re- 
turned to  Burford,  his  residence,  a  poor  woman 
one  day  gave  him  a  hearty  benediction,  which  led 
him  to  ask  the  reason  of  her  good  wishes.  "  God 
bless  you,  sir,"  said  she,  '•  you  saved  my  son's  life 
in  Ameriky  !  "  "  And  how  did  I  save  your  son's 
life?"  replied  the  Captain.  "  O,  sir,  he  would 
never  have  thought  of  getting  down  into  the  saw- 
pit,  if  you  hadn't  done  so  first ! " 

Lieutenant  Hamilton  was  wounded.  He  became 
one  of  the  sheriffs  of  Lancashire,  and  a  great  friend 
of  Walter  Scott.     On  his  death-bed,  in  1831,  he 


BRITISH  CRITICISM.  115 

sent  for  Scott,  and  asked  him  to  choose  and  retain 
as  a  memorial  any  article  he  liked  in  his  collection 
of  arms.  Scott  selected  the  sword  that  Hamilton 
wore  at  Bunker  Hill. 

The  British  journals  contain  many  comments  on 
this  battle,  and  for  years  they  continued  to  pubHsh 
incidents  in  relation  to  it.  For  several  months 
after  it  took  place  letters  from  officers  engaged  in 
it  continued  to  appear  in  them.  They  were  aston- 
ished at  its  terrible  slaughter.  It  was  compared 
with  otlier  great  battles,  especially  with  those  of 
Quebec  and  of  Minden.  Officers  who  had  served 
in  all  Prince  Ferdinand's  campaigns  remarked,  that 
"so  large  a  proportion  of  a  detachment  was  never 
killed  and  wounded  in  Germany."  It  far  exceeded, 
in  this  respect,  and  in  the  hotness  of  the  fire,  the 
battle  of  Minden.  The  manner  in  which  whole 
regiments  and  companies  were  cut  up  was  com- 
mented upon.  The  5th,  52d,  59th,  and  the  gren- 
adiers of  the  Welsh  Fusileers  are  specially  men- 
tioned. One  company  of  grenadiers,  of  the  85th, 
persevered  in  advancing  after  their  officers  fell,  and 
five  of  their  number  only  left,  and  they  led  on  by 
the  oldest  soldier.  This  was  adduced  as  a  mem- 
orable instance  of  English  valor;  and  it  was 
exultingly  asked,  "  What  history  can  produce  its 
parallel  ' "  Attempts  Avere  made  to  account  for 
the  facts  that  so  many  of  the  British,  and  so  few 
of  the  Americans,  fell.     One  officer  writes  of  the 


116  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

former,  that  the  American  rifles  "  were  peculiarly 
tidapted  to  take  off  the  officer,,  of  a  whole  line  as  it 
marches  to  an  attack."  Another  writes,  "  That 
every  rifleman  was  attended  by  two  men,  one  on 
each  side  of  him,  to  load  pieces  for  him,  so  that  he 
had  nothing  to  do  but  fire  as  fast  as  a  piece  was 
put  into  his  hand ;  and  this  is  the  real  cause  of  so 
many  of  our  brave  officers  falling."  One  reason 
given  why  the  British  troops  killed  so  few  of  the 
provincials  was,  that  the  over-sized  balls  used  by 
the  artillery  would  not  permit  of  a  true  shot. 
Meantime,  transports  with  the  wounded,  and  with 
the  remains  of  the  regiments  which  had  been  so 
cut  up,  as  they  arrived  in  England,  continued  to 
afford  living  evidence  of  the  terrible  realities  of 
this  conflict. 

The  British  officers  described  the  redoubt  as 
having  been  so  strong  that  it  must  have  been  the 
work  of  several  days.  One  says  :  "  The  fortifica- 
tion on  Bunker  Hill  must  have  been  the  Avork 
of  some  days  ;  it  was  very  regular,  and  exceeding 
strong."  A  plan  of  it  appeared  in  the  "  Gentleman's 
Magazine,"  which  is  here  presented  as  a  curious 
memorial  of  the  battle.  It  is  called  "  Plan  of  the 
Redoubt  and  Intrenchment  on  the  Heights  of 
Cliarlestown  (commonly  called  Bunker's  Hill), 
opposite  Boston,  in  New  England,  attacked  and 
carried  l)y  his  Majesty's  troops,  June  17,  1775." 

The  "  Gentleman's  Magazine  "  sa3^s  :  "  This  re- 


BRITISH  CRITICISM. 


117 


doubt  was  well  executed.  In  the  only  side  oii 
which  it  could  be  attacked  were  two  pieces  of 
cannon.  In  the  two  salient  angles  were  two 
trees,  with  their  branches  projecting  off  the  para- 


£3 


Yards  on  a  scale  of  50  to  an  inch. 


Very  deep  hollow  way. 


pet,  to  prevent  an  entry  being  made  on  the  angles. 
The  two  flanks  (A  and  B)  of  the  intrenchment 
were  well  contrived,  as  the  fire  from  them  crossed 
within  twenty  yards  of  the  face  of  the  redoubt. 


118  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

The  flank  C  sufficiently  secures  its  face  ;  and  the 
bastion  D,  with  its  flanks  E  and  B,  is  the  best 
defence  against  such  troops  as  might  endeavor 
to  pass  or  cut  down  the  fence." 

General  Dearborn  says :  "  It  was  a  square  re- 
doubt, the  curtains  of  which  were  about  sixty 
or  seventy  feet  in  extent,  with  an  intrenchraent 
or  breastwork  extending  fifty  or  sixty  feet  from 
the  northern  angle,  towards  Mystic  River.  In 
the  course  of  the  night  the  ramparts  had  been 
raised  to  the  height  of  six  or  seven  feet,  with  a 
small  ditch  at  their  base  ;  but  it  was  yet  in  a 
rude,  imperfect  state." 

General  Howe,  it  was  conceded  even  bj^  his 
enemies,  behaved  with  great  bravery  through  the 
whole  battle.  Of  the  notices  of  him  in  the  British 
journals  I  select  the  following:  "General  Howe, 
daring  the  whole  engagement  on  the  17th  of 
June  last,  was  in  the  most  imminent  danger;  and 
Mr.  Evans,  an  English  servant,  who  went  over 
with  him,  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to  quit  him 
till  the  whole  of  the  action  was  over.  Evans 
attended  the  whole  time  with  wine  and  other 
necessaries  for  the  refreshment  of  the  General  and 
those  about  him  ;  during  which  Evans  had  one 
of  the  bottles  in  his  hand  dashed  to  jneces,  and 
got  a  contusion  on  one  of  his  arms  at  the  same 
time,  by  a  ball  from  some  of  the  provincials." 

General   Clinton's    services    were    highly   com- 


BEITTSn  CRITICISM.  119 

mended,  and  great  iniinence  was  ascribed  to  Lis 
advice.     Few  details,  however,  are  mentioned  of 
liis  conduct,  besides   his  rally  of  the   troops   for 
the  third  attack,  and  his  advice  to  follow  up  the 
victory  by  a  close  pursuit.     "  The  differences  be- 
tween Clinton  and  Howe  broke   out  first  in  this 
battle,"    where    Howe    attacked    in   front,    "  and 
Clinton    proposed   to   attack  in   the   rear."     Few 
particulars,    also,   are    named    of    General   Pigot. 
General  Gage  attributed  "  the  success  of  the  day, 
in  a  great  measure,  to  his  firmness  and  gallantry." 
General  Gage  Avas  severely  criticised.     It  was 
said,  though  he  was  urged  to  take  possession  of 
the    Heights   of    Charlestown,   he    did    not   even 
reconnoitre    the  ground,  and  this  neglect  was  a 
great   error ;    another   error   certainly    was,    that, 
instead   of  confining  our   attack   to    the   enemy's 
left  wing  only,  the  assault  was  made  on  the  whole 
front :  the  army  should  have  landed  in  their  rear 
and  cut  off  their  retreat ;  the  troops  should  have 
marched   up  in  column  on  the   first   attack,   and 
carried  the  works  by  the   bayonet;    the  unneces- 
sary load  they  bore  exhausted  them  before  they 
got  into  action ;  Mystic  River  was  neglected,  for 
the  "  Symmetry  "  transport  might  have  taken  a  posi- 
tion at  high  water  in  the   rear  of  the   Americans, 
and  played  on  their  flank  at  the  rail-fence  ;  or  one 
of  the  covered  boats,  musket-proof,  and  carrying 
a  heavy  piece  of  cannon,  might  have  been  towed 


120  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

close  ill  to  the  shore.  And  when  the  field  was 
won,  the  success  was  less  brilliant  than  it  might 
have  been,  and  ought  to  have  been,  for  no  pur- 
suit was  ordered  after  the  Americans  retreated. 
These  criticisms,  for  the  most  part,  were  as  just 
as  they  were  severe.  The  issue  of  this  battle 
destroyed  the  military  reputation  of  General  Gage, 
and  occasioned  his  recall. 

Nor  did  the  British  troops,  gallantly  as  they  be- 
haved, escape  the  denunciations  of  party.  Many 
allusions  to  their  conduct  on  this  day  Avere  made  in 
the  debates  of  Parliament.  Thus  Colonel  Barre, 
February  20.  1776,  said  the  troops,  out  of  aversion 
to  the  service,  misbehaved  on  this  day.  General 
Burgoyne  arose  with  warmth,  and  contradicted 
Colonel  Barre  in  the  flattest  manner.  He  allowed 
that  the  troops  gave  way  a  little  at  one  time,  be- 
cause they  were  flanked  by  the  fire  out  of  the 
houses,  &c.,  at  Charlestown,  but  they  soon  rallied 
and  advanced  ;  and  no  men  on  earth  ever  behaved 
with  more  spirit,  firmness,  and  perseverance,  till 
they  forced  the  enemy  out  of  their  intrenchments. 
This  charge,  in  general,  was  certainly  undeserved. 
At  no  time  was  British  valor  more  needed  to 
insure  success,  and  at  no  time,  General  Gage  re- 
marked, was  it  "  more  conspicuous  than  in  this 
action."  In  the  general  orders  of  June  19  was 
the  following  tribute  :  "  The  Commander-in-chief 
returns  his  most  grateful  thanks  to  Major-General 


DESTRUCTION  OF   CITARLESTOWN.  121 

Howe  for  the  extraordinary  exertion  of  his  military- 
abilities  on  the  17th  instant.  He  returns  his  thanks 
also  to  JNLijor-General  Clinton  and  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral Pigot,  for  the  share  they  took  in  the  success 
of  the  day  ;  as  well  as  to  Lieutenant-Colonels  Nes- 
bit,  Abercrorabie,  Gunning-,  and  Clarke  ;  Majors 
Butler,  Williams,  Bruce,  Tupper,  Spendlove,  Sra'all, 
and  Mitchell ;  and  the  rest  of  the  officers  and  sol- 
diers, who,  by  remarkable  efforts  of  courage  and 
gallantry,  overcame  every  disadvantage,  and  drove 
the  rebels  from  their  redoubt  and  strongholds  on 
the  heights  of  Charlestown,  and  gained  a  complete 
victory."  On  the  28th  of  September  the  thanks 
of  the  King  were  given  as  follows :  "  The  King 
has  been  pleased  to  order  the  Commander-in-chief 
to  express  his  Majesty's  thanks  both  to  the  officers 
and  soldiers  for  their  resolution  and  gallantry,  by 
which  they  attacked  and  defeated  the  rebels  on 
the  17th  of  June  last,  who  had  every  advantage 
of  numbers  and  situation  ;  and  more  especially 
expresses  to  Generals  Howe  and  Clinton,  and  to 
Brigadier-General  Pigot,  the  sense  his  Majesty 
entertains  of  the  spirit,  resolution,  and  conduct  by 
which  they  distinguished  themselves  so  much  to 
their  honor  on  that  day.'' 

The  wanton  destruction  of  Charlestown  excited 
indignation  at  home  and  sympathy  abroad.  It 
had  been  repeatedly  threatened  previous  to  the 
battle.   Its  importance,  in  a  military  point  of  view, 


122  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  HILL. 

added  to  the  bold  and  decided  part  it  bore  in  the 
previous  ten  years'  controversy,  seemed  to  mark  it 
for  sacrifice.  A  threat  to  this  effect  was  given  on 
the  19th  of  ApriL  The  British  general,  on  the 
21st  of  April,  sent  to  the  selectmen  a  message  to 
this  effect,  —  that  if  American  troops  were  allowed 
to 'occupy  the  town,  or  throw  np  works  on  the 
heights,  the  ships  would  be  ordered  to  fire  on  it. 
Subsequently,  probably  when  a  part  of  the  army 
marched  into  the  town.  General  Gage  sent  word 
to  the  citizens  that  if  the  troops  were  not  removed 
he  would  burn  it.  Consequently,  a  committee 
waited  upon  General  Ward,  informed  him  of  the 
threat,  and  stated  that  if  the  good  of  the  cause 
required  that  the  troops  should  remain  they  would 
not  object.  Comment  is  unnecessary  on  so  inter- 
esting a  fact,  and  one  so  honorable  to  the  patriot- 
ism of  the  inhabitants  of  Charlestown. 

In  consequence  of  these  threats,  the  belief  in 
town  was  very  general  that  its  destruction  would 
follow  any  military  operations  within  the  penin- 
sula. Hence  the  inhabitants,  with  the  exception 
of  about  two  hundred,  had  removed  into  the  coun- 
try,—  some  residing  with  friends,  the  poor  sup- 
ported by  the  towns.  Many  carried  with  them 
their  most  valuable  effects.  Others  had  secreted 
their  goods  in  various  places,  as  in  dried  wells,  in 
cellars,  and  holes  dug  in  the  ground.  Committees 
were  appointed  to  superintend  the  supply  of  pro- 


DESTRUCTION   OF   CHARLESTOWN.  123 

visions  to  those  who  remained.  None  could  pass 
the  Neck,  however,  without  a  permit  from  a  per- 
son stationed  at  the  "  Sun  Tavern,"  at  this  pkice. 
The  owners  of  the  pastures  went  in  to  mow  the 
fields,  and  on  the  day  previous  to  the  battle  the 
grass  was  cut  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  rail-fence. 
The  town,  therefore,  on  the  day  of  the  battle  was 
nearly  deserted. 

A  few  of  the  citizens,  however,  remained  up  to 
the  hour  of  the  engagement.  While  the  British 
were  embarking.  Rev.  John  Martin,  who  fought 
bravely  in  the  action,  and  was  with  the  troops  all 
night,  left  Breed's  Hill,  went  to  Charlestown 
Ferry,  and  with  a  spy-glass  —  Dr.  Stiles  writes  — 
"viewed  the  shipping,  and  observed  their  prepara- 
tions of  floating-batteries,  and  boats  filling  with 
soldiers.  There  were  now  in  Charlestown  a  con- 
siderable number  of  people  —  one  hundred  or  two 
hundred,  or  more,  men  and  women  —  not  yet  re- 
moved, though  the  body  of  the  people  and  effects 
were  gone.  AVhile  he  called  in  at  a  house  for  a 
drink  of  water,  a  cannon-ball  from  the  shipping 
passed  through  the  house.  He  persuaded  the  in- 
habitants to  depart,  but  they  seemed  reluctant. 
He  assured  them  that  it  would  be  warm  work  that 
day."  He  returned  to  the  hill,  but  soon,  about 
noon,  went  down  again.  "  Mr.  Gary  and  son,"  he 
says,  — "  still  at  their  own  house,  —  urged  him  to 
take  some  refreshment  and  rest,  as  he  had  been 


124  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  UILL. 

fatigued  all  niglit.  He  lay  down  at  Mr.  Gary's 
about  ten  minutes,  when  a  ball  came  through  the 
house.  He  rose  and  returned,  and  then  the  town 
evacuated  with  all  haste."  Advertisements  in  the 
journals  indicate  that  furniture  was  carried  out  on 
this  day. 

General  Burgoyne's  letter  supplies  the  most 
authentic  description  of  the  burning  of  the  town. 
He  writes  of  the  British  columns  as  they  were 
moving  to  the  attack  :  "  They  were  also  exceed- 
ingly hurt  by  musketry  from  Charlestown,  though 
Clinton  and  I  did  not  perceive  it  till  Howe  sent  us 
word  by  a  boat,  and  desired  us  to  set  fire  to  the 
town,  which  was  immediately  clone ;  we  threw  a 
parcel  of  shells,  and  the  whole  was  immediately 
in  flames."  The  town  was  burning  on  the  second 
attack.  The  smoke  was  seen  a  great  distance. 
"  Terrible,  indeed,  was  that  scene,"  a  letter  from 
Salem  reads,  "even  at  our  distance.  The  west- 
ern horizon  in  the  daytime  was  one  huge  body  of 
smoke,  and  in  the  evening  a  continued  blaze  ;  and 
the  perpetual  sound  of  cannon  and  volleys  of  mus- 
ketry worked  up  our  imaginations  to  a  high  degree 
of  fright."  The  houses  within  the  peninsula,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mill 
Street,  were  entirely  consumed. .  The  number  of 
buildings  was  estimated  at  about  four  hundred ; 
and  the  loss~of  property  at  X 11 7,982  5s.  2d.  Some 
of  the  property  secreted  was  found  by  the  British, 


DESTRUCTION   OF   CUARLESTOWN.  125 

while  much  of  it  was  recovered  by  the  owners  on 
the  evacuation  of  the  town.  Many  from  Boston 
had  deposited  goods  in  this  town  for  safe-keeping, 
and  these  were  consumed.  Dr.  ]Mather  lost  his 
library. 

Of  the  citizens  was  Seth  Sweetser,  the  town- 
clerk,  the  school-master,  and  the  writer  of  several 
of  the  patriotic  papers  issued  b}^  the  town.  The 
following  letter,  written  in  his  retreat  at  Wilming- 
ton, shows  the  spirit  of  the  Christian  patriot.  It 
is  printed  for  the  first  time  :  — 

"  WiLMixGTOx,  July  4th,  1775. 
"Dear  Sir, —  I  need  not  tell  you  that  I  sympathize 
witli  you  and  all  our  Charlestown  friends,  under  the 
heavy  loss  Ave  have  met  with,  by  our  dwellings,  &c., 
being  laid  in  ashes.  We  find  it  literally  true  that 
riches  make  themselves  wings  and  fly  away.  Let  us 
realize  it  as  a  truth,  there  is  no  evil  in  the  city,  but  the 
Lord  has  done  it.  It's  true  the  thing  was  done  by  such 
men  whose  tender  mercies  are  cruelty  ;  but  if  we  eye 
the  hand  of  God,  this  will  quiet  our  minds.  The  judge  of 
all  the  earth  does  all  things  right.  He  is  holy  in  all  his 
ways,  &c. ;  and  though  clouds  and  darkness  are  some- 
times round  about  him,  as  to  the  dispensations  of  his 
providence,  as  it  seems  to  us  short-sighted  creatures, 
yet  justice  and  judgment  are  the  stability  of  his  Throne. 
Let  us  beg  of  God  to  enable  us  to  make  a  wise  improve- 
ment of  every  thing  that  befalls  us.  Let  us  even  take 
joyfully  the  spoiling  of  our  goods,  crying  to  God  for  his 
Grace,  that  this  may  be  a  happy  means  of  opeuing  our 


126  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER   HILL. 

eyes  to  see  the  vanity  of  all  sublunary  enjoyments,  and 
excite  us  to  secure  an  interest  in  that  good  part  which 
Avill  never  be  taken  away, — an  heavenly  inheritance. 
Oh,  happy  exchange!  ]\Iay  you  and  I  be  brought  by 
the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  such  a  heavenly 
temper  of  mind  as  to  be  able  to  say,  from  the  bottom  of 
our  liearts,  O  God,  here  we  are,  do  with  us  as  seemcth 
good  in  thy  sight.  Happy,  thrice  happy,  the  man  that 
shall  attain  to  this  divine  temper,  this  heavenly  disposi- 
tion,—  happy  in  life,  happy  in  death.  I  suppose  these 
hints  may  be  agreeable  to  yon,  to  muse  upon  in  your 
retirement;  yet  I  must  stop.  I  know  it's  your  duty  to 
attend  the  Provincial  Congress,  to  consult  such  meas- 
ures as  may  have  a  happy  tendency,  by  the  blessing  of 
God,  to  extricate  this  poor  distressed  land  out  of  our 
troubles.     I  pray  God  to  give  you  wisdom. 

"  I'm  now  an  exile  in  Wilmington  Woods ;  and  though 
I  may  here  get  some  good  to  myself  by  reading.  &c.,  yet 
I  can't  be  contented  with  this :  I  long  to  do  something 
tliat  may  be  servicable  to  others.  You  know  I  have 
always  had  full  employ ;  I  abhor  idleness  ;  I  wish  that 
a  door  may  be  opened,  that  I  may  lay  out  the  small 
talents  God  has  bestowed  upon  me  in  His  service.  I 
beg  the  favor  of  you  to  inquire  of  the  members  of  the 
Congress  if  they  know  of  any  town  that  is  destitute  of 
a  school-master.  You  know  that  I  am  capable  of  instruct- 
ing youth,  not  only  in  the  languages,  but  also  in  writing 
and  arithmetic,  &c.  I  must,  as  soon  as  ])ossible,  do  some- 
thing to  support  my  fimily;  the  small  matter  I  had  by 
me  in  money  will  soon  be  gone.  I  know  you  will  take 
j)ains  to  serve  me ;  and  if  you  communicate  my  thoughts 


DESTRUCTION   OF   CUARLESTOWN.  127 

to  Deacon  Cheever  (pray  remember  rae  to  him),  he  will 
do  all  he  can  to  serve  mo  ;  I  have  always  experienced 
him  to  be  ray  friend.  If  there  is  any  thing  you  can  think 
of  that  I  can  do,  if  never  so  mean  an  office,  I'm  quite 
willing  to  do  it.  My  son  Henry,  who  works  at  Cam- 
bridge, will  deliver  you  this  letter,  and  gladly  bring  one 
from  you  ;  and,  if  you  have  nothing  else  at  present  to 
write,  say,  Your  friend,  Richard  Devens.  It  will  give  me 
more  pleasure  than  it  can  be  trouble  to  you. 
"I  am,  Sir,  yours,  whilst  ray  own, 
"Mr.  Richaed  Devens.  Setii  Sweetser." 

The  destruction  naturally  excited  great  indigna- 
tion in  the  colonies.  John  Langdon,  in  a  letter 
dated  Philadelphia,  July  3,  1775,  writes  :  "  The 
low,  mean  revenge  and  wanton  cruelty  of  the  min- 
isterial sons  of  tyrann}^  in  burning  the  pleasant 
town  of  Charlestown,  beggars  all  description;  this 
does  not  look  like  the  fight  of  those  who  have  so 
long  been  friends,  and  would  hope  to  be  friends 
again,  but  rather  of  a  most  cruel  enemy,  —  though 
we  shall  not  wonder  when  we  reflect  that  it  is  the 
infernal  hand  of  tyranny  which  always  has,  and 
ever  will,  deluge  that  part  of  the  world  (which  it 
lays  hold  of)  in  blood." 

The  British  "Annual  Register"  of  1775  said: 
"  The  fate  of  Charlestown  was  also  a  matter  of 
melancholy  contemplation  to  the  serious  and  un- 
prejudiced of  all  parties.  It  was  the  first  settle- 
ment made  in  the  colony,  and  was  considered  as 


128        •  BATTLE  OF  BUNKER  niLL. 

the  mother  of  Boston,  —  that  town  owing  its  birth 
and  nurture  to  emigrants  of  the  former.  Charles- 
town  was  hirge,  handsome,  and  well  built,  both  in 
respect  to  its  public  and  private  edifices ;  it  con- 
tained about  four  hundred  houses,  and  had  the 
greatest  trade  of  any  port  in  the  province,  except 
Boston.  It  is  said  that  the  two  ports  cleared  out  a 
thousand  vessels  annually  for  a  foreign  trade,  ex- 
clusive of  an  infinite  number  of  coasters.  It  is  now 
burie'd  in  ruins.  Such  is  the  termination  of  human 
labor,  industry,  and  wisdom,  and  such  are  the  fatal 
fruits  of  civil  dissensions." 

The  British  press,  on  the  American  side,  kept 
this  battle  before  the  people.  In  1778  there  ap- 
peared a  communication  in  a  London  paper,  begin- 
ning :  — 

N'dore  in  aclversum,  nee  me, 
Qui  coetera  viiicit  Impetus. 

Now  acting  in   AMERICA, 

A     NEW     TRAGEDY, 

As  it  was  first  attempted  at  Bunker's-Hill, 

caUed,  The   DESTRUCTIOX  of    LIBERTY. 

The  principal  parts  to  be  performed  by 

The  Germans  and  Scotch,  assisted  by  detachments 

of  the  Guards. 

Between  the  acts  are  exhibited  most  magnificent  pieces  of 
fire-work,  such  as  burning  of  towns  and  ships;  conchidiiig 
with  a  general  massacre  of  old  men,  women,  and  children, 
performed  to  the  life. 


DESTRUCTION    OF   CIIARLESTOWN.  129 

To  which  will  he  added, 

A      FARCE, 

Called,   CONCILIATORY  MEASURES; 

Never  attempted  hut  once, 

Being  damned  by  the  American  Congress; 

But  to  he   tried  once  more  hy  the  Ministry, 

AVho  are  to  embark  for  that  purpose. 

With  the   originul  Prologue,   as  spoken  by 

at  Westminster. 


The  Epilogue  by  L— d   G e   G e. 

It  is  thought  that  this  piece  will  meet  with  the  utmost 
contempt,  as  before. 

Places  to  be  taken  on  board  any  of  his ships,  just 

ready  to  sail  for  America. 

Any  gentleman  desirous  of  acting  a  part  in  the  aforesaid 
Tragedy,  and  properly  qualified,  may  be  immediately  sup- 
plied with  a  proper  dress  at  the  Drill,  and  all  ether  neces- 
saries, besides  having  the  advantage  of  being  transported  at 
the  public  expense. 

These  recollections  are  not  presented  to  keep 
alive  national  enmities.  The  late  historian,  Wil- 
liam H.  Prescott,  the  grandson  of  Colonel  Prescott, 
married  the  granddaughter  of  Captain  Linzee, 
who  commanded  the  British  sloop-of-war,  the 
"  Falcon ; "  and  in  his  library  were  the  swords, 
crossed,  worn  by  each  of  these  commanders  in  the 
battle.  They  now  are  in  the  rooms  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Historical  Society,  with  appropriate  in- 

9 


130  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER   BILL. 

scriptioiis.  A  member,  Nathaniel  Frotbingham, 
D.D.,  wbeii  tbey  were  transferred,  read  the  verses 
entitled  •'  The  Crossed  Swords."     One  was,  — 

"  Oh,  lie  prophetic  too ! 
And  may  those  nations  twain,  as  sign  and  seal 
Of  endless  amity,  hang  up  their  steel, 

As  we  these  weapons  do." 

I  thus  have  attempted  to  present  the  chief  inci- 
dents of  this  memorable  battle.  It  is  its  connection 
with  the  cause  of  American  liberty  that  gives  such 
an  importance  to  this  occasion,  and  such  an  inter- 
est to  its  minute  details.  In  the  words  of  Daniel 
Webster :  — 

"  No  national  drama  was  ever  developed  in  a 
more  interesting  and  splendid  first  scene.  The 
incidents  and  the  result  of  the  battle  itself  were 
most  important,  and  indeed  most  wonderfid.  As 
a  mere  battle,  few  surpass  it  in  whatever  engages 
and  interests  the  attention.  It  was  fought  on  a 
conspicuous  eminence,  in  the  immediate  neighbor- 
hood of  a  populous  city  ;  and  consequently  in  the 
view  of  thousands  of  spectators.  The  attacking 
army  moved  over  a  sheet  of  water  to  the  assault. 
The  operations  and  movements  were  of  course  all 
visible  and  all  distinct.  Those  who  looked  on  from 
the  houses  and  heights  of  Boston  had  a  fuller  view 
of  every  important  operation  and  event  than  can 
ordinarily  be  had  of  any  battle,  or  than  can  possibly 


DESTRUCTION  OF   CHARLESTOWN.  131 

be  had  of  such  as  are  fought  on  a  more  extended 
ground,  or  by  detachments  of  troops  acting  in  dif- 
ferent places,  and  at  different  times,  and  in  some 
measure  independently  of  each  other.  AVhen  the 
British  columns  were  advancing  to  the  attack,  the 
flames  of  Charlestown  (fired,  as  is  generally  sup- 
posed, by  a  shell)  began  to  ascend.  The  specta- 
tors, far  outnumbering  both  armies,  thronged  and 
crowded  on  every  height  and  every  point  which 
afforded  a  view  of  the  scene,  themselves  constitutins: 
a  very  important  part  of  it. 

"  The  troops  of  the  two  armies  seemed  like  so 
many  combatants  in  an  amphitheatre.  The  manner 
in  which  they  should  acquit  themselves  was  to  be 
judged  of,  not,  as  in  other  cases  of  military  engage- 
ments, by  reports  and  future  history,  but  by  a  vast 
and  anxious  assembly  already  on  the  spot,  and 
waiting  with  unspeakable  concern  and  emotion  the 
progress  of  the  day. 

"  In  other  battles  the  recollection  of  wives  and 
children  has  been  used  as  an  excitement  to  ani- 
mate the  warrior's  breast  and  nerve  his  arm.  Here 
was  not  a  mere  recollection,  but  an  actual  pr^s^wce 
of  them,  and  other  dear  connections,  hanging  on 
the  skirts  of  the  battle,  anxious  and  agitated,  feel- 
ing almost  as  if  wounded  themselves  by  every  blow 
of  the  enemy,  and  putting  forth,  as  it  were,  their 
own  strength,  and  all  the  energy  of  their  own 
throbbing  bosoms,  into  every  gallant  effort  of  their 
warring  friends. 


132  BATTLE    OF  BUNKER   HILL. 

"  But  there  was  a  more  compreliensive  and  vastly 
more  important  view  of  that  day's  contest  than  has 
been  mentioned,  —  a  view,  indeed,  which  ordinary 
eyes,  bent  intently  on  wliat  was  immediately  before 
thena,  did  not  embrace,  but  which  was  perceived  in 
its  full  extent  and  expansion  by  minds  of  a  higher 
order.  Those  men  who  were  at  the  head  of  the 
colonial  councils,  who  had  been  engaged  for  years 
in  the  previous  stages  of  the  quarrel  with  Enghmd, 
and  who  had  been  accustomed  to  look  forward  to 
the  future,  were  well  apprised  of  the  magnitude  of 
the  events  likely  to  hang  on  tlie  business  of  that 
day.  They  saw  in  it  not  only  a  battle,  but  the  be- 
<^>inniiKi-  of  a  civil  war  of  unmeasured  extent  and 
uncertain  issue.  All  America  and  all  England 
were  likely  to  be  deeply  concerned  in  the  conse- 
quences. The  individuals  themselves,  who  knew 
full  well  what  agency  they  liad  had  in  bringing 
affairs  to  this  crisis,  had  need  of  all  their  courage, 
—  not  that  disregard  of  personal  safety,  in  which 
the  vulgar  suppose  true  courage  to  consist,  but  that 
high  and  fixed  moral  sentiment,  that  steady  and 
decided  purpose,  which  enables  men  to  pursue  a 
distant  end,  wilh  a  full  view  of  the  difficulties  and 
dangers  before  them,  and  with  a  conviction  that, 
before  they  arrive  at  the  proposed  end,  should  they 
ever  reach  it,  they  must  pass  through  evil  report  as 
well  as  good  report,  and  be  liable  to  obloquy  as  well 
as  to  defeat. 


DESTRUCTION   OF   CUARLESTOWN.  133 

"  Spirits  that  fear  nothing  else,  fear  disgrace ; 
and  this  danger  is  necessarily  encountered  by  tliose 
who  engage  in  civil  war.  Unsnccessful  resistance 
is  not  only  ruin  to  its  authors,  but  is  esteemed,  and 
necessarily  so,  by  tlie  laws  of  all  countries,  treason- 
able. This  is  the  case,  at  least,  till  resistance  be- 
comes so  general  and  formidable  as  to  assume  the 
form  of  regular  war.  But  who  can  tell,  when  re- 
sistance commences,  whether  it  will  attain  even  to 
that  degree  of  success  ?  Some  of  those  persons 
who  signed  the  Declaration  of  Independence  in 
1776  described  themselves  as  signing  it  '  as  with 
halters  about  their  necks.'  If  there  were  grounds 
for  this  remark  in  1776,  when  the  cause  had  become 
so  much  more  general,  how  much  greater  was  the 
hazard  when  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  was  fought ! 

"  These  considerations  constituted,  to  enlarged 
and  liberal  minds,  the  moral  sublimity  of  the  occa- 
sion ;  while  to  the  outward  senses,  the  movement 
of  armies,  the  roar  of  artillery,  the  brilliancy  of  the 
reflection  of  a  summer's  sun  from  the  burnished 
armor  of  the  British  columns,  and  the  flames  of  a 
burning  town,  made  up  a  scene  of  extraordinary 
grandeur." 


APPENDIX. 


THE  "  Massachusetts  Spy,  or  American  Oracle  of 
Liberty,"  printed  at  Worcester,  on  Wednesday, 
June  21,  1775,  had  the  following  :  — 

"  A  correspondent  has  favored  us  with  the  following 
account  of  the  battle  near  Charlestown,  viz.,  '  The 
re-enforcement  both  of  horse  and  foot  being  arrived  at 
Boston,  and  our  army  having  good  intelligence  that 
General  Gage  was  about  to  take  possession  of  the 
advantageous  posts  near  Charlestown  and  Dorchester 
Point,  the  Committee  of  Safety  advised  that  our  troops 
should  prepossess  them,  if  possible.  Accordingly,  on 
Friday  evening,  the  16th  instant,  this  was  effected  ; 
and  before  daylight  on  Saturday  morning  their  lines  of 
circumvallation,  on  a  small  hill  south  of  Bunker's  Hill, 
in  Charlestown,  was  in  great  forwardrless.  At  this 
time  the  "  Lively"  man-of-war  began  to  fire  upon  them. 
A  number  of  our  enemy's  ships,  tenders,  and  scows,  or 
floating-batteries,  soon  came  up;  from  all  which  tlie 
firing  was  general  by  twelve  o'clock.  About  two,  the 
enemy  began  to  land  at  a  point  that  leads  out  towards 
Noddle's  Island,  and  immediately  marched  up  to  our 
intrenchments,  from  which  they  were  twice  repulsed 


136  APPENDIX. 

with  great  loss,  but  the  third  time  they  forced  them. 
Our  forces,  whicli  were  in  the  lines,  as  well  as  those 
sent  for  tlKjir  relief,  were  annoyed  on  all  sides  by  balls 
and  bombs  from  Co]ip's  Hill,  the  shijjs,  scows,  &c.  At 
this  time  the  buildings  in  Ciiarlestown  ap[)eared  in 
flames  in  almost  every  quarter,  supposed  to  be  kindled 
by  hot  balls.  Though  this  scene  was  horrible  and 
altogether  new  to  most  of  our  men,  yet  many  stood 
and  received  wounds,  by  swords  and  bayonets,  before 
they  quitted  their  lines.  The  number  of  killed  and 
wounded  on  our  side  is  not  yet  known.  Our  men  are 
in  high  spirits. 

'"The  number  of  regulars  engaged  is  supposed  to  be 
between  two  and  three  thousand.'  " 


Cambridge  :  Press  of  John  Wilson  &  Son. 


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dares  attack  tl 
parental  porta 
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U^  here  the  dead  now  sleep  in  the  old  Bunki 
raged  148  years  ago  today.  The  marker 
woman  wh^  is  nnssine.  v.  •    ^^.-.^.^ 


liUi  Street  Burying  Ground,  the  battle 
the  rail  fence  may  be  seen  near  the 


